Flavor Adventures
Today we are breaking down some of the challenges with your picky eater. As a parent, it can be challenging to not take your child’s food preferences personally, but it’s important to stay objective and get to the bottom of where these come from in order to best help your child overcome these challenges and grow to enjoy more diverse eating.
To begin, there are several reasons why a child may have sensory issues related to food. Here are some of the common causes:
Sensory processing or other related sensory issues: A child with SPD (sensory processing disorder) may be overly sensitive or under-responsive to certain sensations, such as textures, smells, tastes, and colors, making it challenging for them to tolerate certain foods. In addition, children with other neurodiversities may also have trouble with sensory processing issues including textures, flavors, and temperatures.
Food allergies or sensitivities: Children who have food allergies or sensitivities may experience discomfort or other physical symptoms after eating certain foods. This can cause them to avoid those foods or have a negative association with them.
Oral motor issues: Some children may have difficulty with the physical act of eating, such as chewing and swallowing, which can be due restrictions in the oral tissues, muscles, or even nerves of the mouth. This can make it hard for them to eat certain foods that require a lot of chewing or are difficult to swallow.
Trauma or negative experiences with food: If a child has had negative experiences with certain foods, such as choking, vomiting, or a bad reaction, they may develop an aversion to those foods, even if they were previously enjoyable. Unfortunately, often in an effort to help a child learn to eat more, we as caregivers can add to the trauma around meal time and make it a stressful experience for your child.
It's important to note that some children may have more than one of these issues, and every child is unique, so it's essential to work with a healthcare provider or therapist to identify and address the underlying causes of sensory issues related to food. As we start to work through these challenges in therapy, one of the goals is always exploring new foods—starting with low expectations such as playing with and touching food and moving on to tasting as the child becomes more comfortable.
Exploring new foods is an important part of a child's development and can help establish healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. Here are some creative strategies to encourage your child to try new foods:
Make food fun: You can make food fun by using creative shapes and designs to make the food look more appealing to your child. For example, you could use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into fun shapes, or arrange fruits and vegetables into fun designs on the plate.
Involve your child in meal planning and preparation: Inviting your child to help with meal planning and preparation can give them a sense of ownership over the food and encourage them to try new things. Let them choose a new fruit or vegetable to try and help with the preparation.
Offer a variety of foods: Introduce a variety of foods to your child, including different colors, textures, and flavors. Offer a mix of familiar and unfamiliar foods to encourage exploration.
Use positive reinforcement: Praise your child for trying new foods and offer positive feedback on their efforts. This will encourage them to continue trying new foods.
Make mealtime a positive experience: Ensure that mealtimes are positive experiences by sitting down together, avoiding distractions, and making conversation. This will create a relaxed atmosphere that encourages your child to try new foods.
Lead by example: Children learn by example, so make sure you are setting a good example by eating a variety of healthy foods yourself.
Introduce new foods gradually: Introduce new foods gradually to avoid overwhelming your child. Start with small portions and gradually increase the amount over time. Always make sure to serve something that feels safe to your picky eater along with new foods so as not to alarm them.
Remember that it can take up to 10-15 times for a child to accept a new food, so be patient and persistent in your efforts. Encouraging exploration of food is an ongoing process, but with these strategies, you can help your child develop healthy eating habits and a sense of adventure when it comes to food.
If you’re struggling with meal time and have a child with sensory aversions to food, occupational therapy can be a great tool to engage your child and help make meal time less stressful for you both. Our team loves to work with young children to create mealtime success and promote healthy eating patterns for life-long health. We can bring this service right to your lunch table or in our clinic—wherever you and your child will feel most comfortable. Book a call today to get started on creating new flavor adventures with your child!
