FOOD SENSORY ISSUES: TIPS & STRATEGIES
Section Overview
For some children, eating can be especially challenging due to food aversions. This section helps you have a better understanding of food sensory issues, helps you identify food aversions, and provides tips for improving your child’s food acceptance.
Understanding Food Sensory Issues
Food sensory issues, also known as sensory food aversion, occur when individuals have a sensory overreaction to certain food types (certain tastes, textures, temperatures, and smells). Food aversions most often occur in children with sensory processing disorders or autism spectrum disorders.
Working with your child to overcome food aversions can make mealtime easier and expand food choices and preferences!
Identifying Food Aversions
- Is your child fussy during mealtime?
- Does your child refuse to eat certain textures?
- Does your child cough while eating?
- Do you consider your child to be a “picky eater”?
- Is it difficult to introduce new foods to your child?
If you answered “Yes” to the majority of these, it is possible that your child has a food aversion. It is important to work closely with your pediatrician and a registered dietitian to make sure that your child is getting all of the nutrients that he/she needs.
Negative Effects of Food Aversions
Restrictive diet: With food aversions, children are less likely to eat a wide variety of foods. This can look like a decreased intake of veggies, fruits, and protein and an increased intake of sweets and other carbohydrates. (Note: an increased intake of carbohydrates can have negative consequences on a child’s health, especially their weight)
Nutrient Deficiencies: A decreased variety in food intake, may cause the child to lack essential nutrients for their growing bodies. If nutrient deficiencies go on for long enough, they can impair the child’s development and can further impact children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Increased Family Stress: Food aversions can make family mealtimes stressful, especially when there are multiple children you are trying to cater to.
Social Isolation: Food aversions can make children, especially those with Autism, hesitant to go out (to new places, new restaurants, or friends’ houses) due to the uncertainty of having access to foods that they like.
Tips to Improve Food Acceptance
Cooking:
Allowing your child to help in food preparation can facilitate in expanding their food acceptance. By doing so, your child will become more familiar with different foods and have the motivation to try their creation!
Courtesy Bite:
A courtesy bite can encourage your child to simply try or smell a new food they may be unfamiliar with. This way, your child can determine a food preference after giving it a try.
Routine:
A mealtime routine will aid in relaxing the environment and facilitate in reducing mealtime anxiety. A mealtime routine can also give a child structure and regulate hunger cues.
Understand:
You can encourage new foods while also respecting choice. If your child says no to a new food, try again at a later mealtime.