Why do children have sensory food aversions? And, how can you help them overcome sensory issues with food? Get the answers and 8 simple strategies…
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From the very beginning of Your Kid’s Table, I have always wanted to help parents better understand sensory processing and anything related to kids and eating. Over the last few years, I have answered many comments about how the two things are related, and often result in a sensory food aversion.
I wanted to dedicate a post completely to sensory issues with food, to help you understand if sensory processing is playing a role in your child’s picky eating and, perhaps more importantly, what you can do help!
I first noticed my son’s sensory issues with food when I introduced food to him.
Knowing the red flags (you’ll read about those later), I also knew if I hadn’t introduced specific sensory strategies to help him learn to eat foods, we’d likely still be struggling, years later, because a sensory food aversion is on a whole different level than just your average “picky eating”.
Why Do Kids Have Sensory Issues with Food?
To understand food related sensory issues, we’ve first got to talk about sensory processing, which is our ability to interpret smells, tastes, sounds, touches, sights, and movement from our environment.
Although most of us process this information in similar ways, it is completely unique to every individual, to every child. We are bombarded all day long with various sensory input, and eating, which many of us do 5 or 6 times a day, is a huge sensory experience that most of us take for granted.
As adults, we have been quite desensitized to the textures, flavors, and smells of food, but many of our kids have not. In the first few years of life, mealtimes are all about processing the sensory input they are receiving from various foods.
Often, when kids display picky eating, especially those with food aversions/extreme picky eating, the touch, taste, or smell of a food is being processed in their brain as dis-pleasurable in some way.
And, by dis-pleasurable, I mean down-right uncomfortable. Think of something that makes you shudder… nails on chalkboard or touching a slug? That feeling that you have may be just as extreme for your child when they touch an orange.
Their brain is processing it all in different ways than yours does. A strong negative sensory reaction can even result in a sensory meltdown.
This of course can start your child down the slippery slope of a limited diet, narrow lists of favorite foods, and specific foods they won’t dare come near during mealtimes.
How your child responds to foods, may at least in part, be simply neurological. While a sensory overload can seem exaggerated, it is a real experience to your child. I hope that this information helps you as the parent depersonalize the refused dinners, at least at little, anyways!
Here’s the good news, children’s brains are extremely plastic. Meaning they are able to easily learn new things. When a child learns something new or experiences something differently, a new connection is made in their brain.
The more they have that same experience, the stronger that connection gets, and then they are able to react differently than they had previously because their brain is using a new connection to process the information.
Are you following me here? Let me say it another way by telling you about my son who has a long history of sensory food aversions. Isaac gags and shudders every time he touches chicken, but one day he helps me make chicken in a different way.
We cut it into small pieces and serve it with a fun dip in a cool little ramekin. I pretend the chicken is little baby dinosaurs jumping into a pond of ketchup.
Then, Isaac is really motivated and relaxed (because he isn’t being pressured), so he picks up his “little baby dinosaurs” and sends them soaring into his dip without a hint of a shudder or gag.
Guess what? His brain just made a new connection, and then I had a starting point to build from! I promise there is hope for your child who only dreams of eating chicken nuggets.
While I’ve mostly been providing examples of a child who is sensitive to textures because the brain is over processing the input, it is also entirely possible that your child may be under sensitive to sensory input.
Think of sensory processing as a spectrum with being sensitive or defensive to input (food texture, smell, etc.) at one end and seeking input at the other end with a whole lot of variability in the middle.
Not processing input well can also cause picky eating because children may not feel certain soft textures in their mouth well (as if the sensation is dulled), and thus avoid them.
These kids, in particular, will often prefer crunchy foods, seemingly spit out soft foods, or over-stuff their mouths to try and “feel” the food.
*Note that sensory processing isn’t just related to food, head over sensory sensitivities in kids to learn more.
Does My Child Have a Sensory Food Aversion, Sensory Feeding Disorder, or Restrictive Food Intake Disorder?
While there is no specific diagnosis for a “sensory eating disorder” or a sensory food aversion, these terms might be used when your child eats a very limited amount of foods because they have difficulty with how foods smell, taste, feel, or even how they look.
Remember this is because of the way their brain is interpreting the sensations they get from food, which leads to the question.
To help narrow down if your child’s picky eating is related to sensory, it’s first helpful to think about certain groups of kids that sensory processing difficulties affect more than other’s. I’m going to list them here because if your child has one of these diagnoses and has eating difficulties, it is very likely that sensory processing is at least part of the picture.
But, having sensory processing difficulties in general DOES NOT mean that your child has one of these diagnoses.
Kids that fall into one of these groups and are picky eaters, often have sensory based food aversions:
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- Sensory Processing Disorder (Note that many health care providers acknowledge this diagnosis, but it is not in the current version of the DSM, which means some insurances providers will not accept this as a reason to justify therapy).
- ADD/ADHD
- Children Born Prematurely (The sensory system is one of the last to develop in utero, which is why sensory processing difficulties are common. However, this is not a rule. Many preemies display no difficulties in this area.)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Down Syndrome
- Children Adopted from Orphanages in Eastern European Countries or Russia
It’s also important to note that kids with significant sensory difficulties with food, whether they have one of the above diagnoses or not, could receive a diagnosis of Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD), which applies to kids through age 18.
Let’s talk about how these sensory “difficulties” actually show up in our kids when they are related to food, here are some specific red flags to look for…
Red Flags for Sensory Issues with Food
If you child has most or all of the behaviors here, it is possible that sensory issues with food may be part of the underlying reason your child is selective about what they eat.
You will notice some opposite extremes in the list below, which are indicating different ends of the sensory processing spectrum as I discussed earlier. As you’re reading, make a mental checklist of any that you see your child doing regularly:
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- Gags at the sight, smell, touch, or taste of foods. Gagging while trying to eat is a different cause that has to do with the mechanics of eating.
Gagging can also be a learned behavior that may have started from either a sensitivity to sensory input or difficulty chewing or swallowing food at some point. Read more on how to help with Gagging at the Smell of Food.
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- Avoids or dislikes their hands getting messy, and I’m not just talking about at meals. You will often see your child get uncomfortable with crafts or digging in dirt/sand, etc. (This is an important point, learn more about it in Everything You Need To Know About the Tactile Sense)
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- Over stuffs or pockets food excessively and/or frequently. Pocketing food can also be the cause of poor coordination and/or difficulty chewing.
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- Never went through an oral stage as a baby/toddler where they mouthed and chewed on toys and other objects.
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- Excessively mouths and chews on various toys past the age of 18 months.
Find more sensory red flags that cover all the senses, not just related to eating. And, if you’d like to dive into understanding sensory as it relates to picky eating, head over to oral sensory processing, you’ll find more tips and activities there!
Are My Child’s Eating Difficulties all Related to Sensory?
I realize I just wrote over 800 words describing how sensory processing may be the cause of your child’s picky eating, but it is rarely the sole cause.
Picky eating is a complicated animal that often has many layers to it. Even if sensory processing is the major player, learned behavior, routine, and other hidden reasons could be at play too.
Check out 5 reasons why your child isn’t eating to uncover any other factors that could be contributing to your kids difficulty eating.
How to Get Help for Picky Eaters With Sensory Food Aversions
I want to provide you with some solid strategies to begin to improve your child’s processing of sensory information (and I will in the next section). However, there are more specialized techniques that may be appropriate under the guidance of a therapist.
It is important to seek medical advice with your provider before making any changes in your child’s diet or health plan.
If your child is under 3 and you live in the US, you may qualify for free in home services. Another option is, a private evaluation from an occupational therapist that specializes in feeding and sensory processing may be appropriate, and can result in feeding therapy.
Whether you seek out further in person help or not, I’d also highly recommend our free workshop: 3 Keys to Turning Around Picky Eating. You’ll learn more about the basics of addressing picky eating and see so much more success with your sensory efforts if you put in.
8 Strategies for a Sensory Food Aversion
With that said, these few tools can be very powerful when used consistently over a period of at least 4-6 weeks because they help to desensitize the sensory system and can be foundational as you make a picky eating plan. Come back to these strategies as needed.
1.Play in a variety of sensory bins at least 5-6 times per week. This is often the first thing I suggest to sensory kids and picky eaters because it helps to break down the overall sensitivity at the brain level.
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- 2. Use a vibrating toothbrush two times a day. My kids use these all the time, but for smaller toddler mouths or those that are really sensitive, this brush is a great option.
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- 3.When brushing teeth, encourage your child to allow you to help, and brush the sides of the tongue top of the tongue and inside the cheeks as well.
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- 4. Build off of textures that your child is preferring. Think about making small changes to the foods they already like by changing up the brand, flavor, etc. This will help build a bridge to new foods in a way that is comfortable.
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- 5. Encourage them to interact with the food in some way. Take baby steps. They may need to spend some time just touching the food to get used to the texture, for example.
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- 6. Cook together. This is a no-pressure time that allows kids to explore new foods. They will often feel brave enough to try something new in the fun and relaxed nature of the moment. Again, the key here is breaking down some of that sensitivity through the exploration of food.
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- 7. If your child falls into the over-stuffing/seeking texture category, you will want to alternate crunchy bites of food with soft food. You can also give the cheeks a firm, but gentle squeeze if the stuffing or spitting out starts, or briskly stroke from the ears to the mouth a few times. This is not meant as a punishment, but to give input to help them process the sensation of the food better.
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- 8. Maximize the foods you are serving your kid. Oftent foods that have a uniform shape and even texture are more likely to be eaten. And, it’s very common for kids with oral aversions to have a strong preference for a specific type of texture.Use that to your advantage! For instance, I would serve a small cube of cheese instead of a slice of cheese that I had randomly torn into pieces. Or, if a child preferred crunchy foods I’d serve meats that veggies that had a crunchy texture. Want more specific examples? Head to picky eater friendly foods for inspiration and motivation!
I believe in these strategies, not only because I’m an OT, but also as a mom. I’ve used these food aversion tips with my own son. See the plan I used to help my son, who now eats a wide variety of foods, including salad!
By implementing these strategies in combination with a solid routine, you will likely see some significant changes in your child’s eating.
If you’d like a little help getting your routine rock solid so you can build on these other sensory specific tips, then grab our FREE 9 Tips to Improve Your Child’s Eating Printable.
Have a question about your child’s sensory food aversions? Ask below!
More for Kids with a Sensory Food Aversion
The Best Picky Eating Strategy
Are Food Jags Affecting Your Picky Eater? What You Need to Know…
When Has Picky Eating Gone Too Far… Is it Something More?
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Alisha Grogan is a licensed occupational therapist and founder of Your Kid’s Table. She has over 14 years experience with expertise in sensory processing and feeding development in babies, toddlers, and children. Alisha also has 3 boys of her own at home. Learn more about her here.
I’m very glad I found your site and am looking forward to exploring it and learning more. I was especially pleased that your article addresses hypo-sensitive kids, not just hyper-sensitive kids. That’s been my biggest struggle to find suggestions to help my 7 yo since most sites that address sensory processing disorder and related issues focus on hypersensitivity. My daughter is hyposensitive to many sensations. When it comes to food, when she was younger we didn’t see any issues really because she loved eating tons of strongly flavored and spicy “grownup” foods and so we didn’t really worry about the things she wouldn’t eat- you don’t really think to worry about a kid who will eat a while veggie platter with spicy jalapeno dip. But as she gets older, her aversions are increasing and the foods she is willing to eat are rapidly decreasing. It is definitely a puzzle and seems like we go forward one step one week and back 3 steps the next week. One thing that I just don’t understand is why she all of a sudden hates things that used to be her favorite. At the moment, the only foods I can depend on her to be willing to eat are ramen and tuna fish and apples. Most days she is willing to at least put a tiny taste of the meal we are eating into her mouth. That’s all we require since we don’t want food to become an emotional battle. We have the added difficulty that her sibling and I have a multitude of food allergies so it is exhausting trying to make meals that everyone can eat. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what I can glean from your site. I have plans to look into therapy for her but with COVID right now, we are waiting for things to calm down.
Hi Alisha,
I found this article very interesting. My nephew is about to return 11 and is the pickiest eater I’ve ever met. And not just typical kid picky, I’m talking PICKY. He eats only a handful of things and has vomited on multiple occasions trying to eat whatever is being served for dinner to the rest of the family. Normally I agree with the whole, “when kids get hungry enough, they’ll eat” approach, but he will literally just not eat. They went to Africa last summer to visit his dad’s family and he lost like 12 lbs. in two weeks because he pretty much fasted the whole time. The foods he WILL eat are mostly lacking in nutrients and he is just pretty unhealthy. His diet is consists of foods that are unhealthy when consumed regularly (pizza, Mac and cheese, tortillas with cheese, chicken nuggets, cheese sticks, ice cream, milk, chocolate sauce, hotdogs, grilled cheese, candy, popcorn, fries, and LOTS of ketchup and ranch on most his meals). He drinks apple juice and is required to eat apple sauce and drink some V8 fusion and Metamucil to keep him from getting totally backed up. Thankfully though, he’s not a soda drinker! Can’t stand the stuff!!
I’m really concerned about his health. I’ve shared this article with my sister in the hopes that she will gain something from it. If you have any further insights, I’d greatly appreciate feedback!! Thank you!!
Hey Hillary,
So glad you shared and resonated with our article. We understand how hard picky eating can be! If you haven’t seen yet, we do have a free workshop that is helpful for parents of picky eaters. Full of some great tips/strategies to start working on the picky eating within the home setting. You can save your seat here
Best,
Desiree
Hi, I have a 35 month old girl who has acid reflux and gags. She still drinks milk and may take small amounts of yogurt. She refuses to eat puree foods unless it’s the same consistency of yogurt and white or a light colour. She will at times drink from a cup with assistants. She refuse to drink her formula from a sippy cup, but will only drinks water from a sippy cup with a straw. If by chance i she is willing to eat solid food she’ll eventually make herself vomit. She will vomit is she drinks water or formula to fast.
When she was 6 months old she started to eat puree foods. Then at 8 months she started teething she didn’t want anything to do with foods. She also would vomit 2/3 times a day, but now she’s on med for acid reflux. She now vomits maybe 2 -3 times a week. She was born a micro preemie and she hasn’t caught up with her height, but she’s caught with her weight. I am currently feeding her from the bottle with puree, oat cereal and tahini paste.
She is delayed with her speech and her left side of her body is more stiff then the right. She also walks on her tippy toes. We were seeing an O.T. in my home bi weekly, and she was being assessed by a speech therapist. Due to the pandemic they have stopped doing home visits, but offer virtual visits. I hope my daughter will learn to eat with us sooner then later. I am very concerned about my daughter development and i hoping for some good advice. Please help!!!
Thanks for reaching out to us! Sounds like you are really on top of working with your daughter through all these struggles! I’d reach out to your OT that have seen her in person for ideas of things you should be doing within the home and before meals. I would be working on brushing her teeth and gums prior to mealtimes, you can do this with a tooth brush (if you aren’t doing so already). But can help the muscles be prepared for a meal as well as help to be more accepting of different textures!
Best,
Desiree
Hi, I have a 2.5 years old son who have both reflux and gagging issues. He is still drinking milk and not taking any solid. He even rejected some of the puree foods and not taking foods directly. He does not know how to suck and drink from a cup even we use various methods to encourage him to do so. One month ago, he started to eat baby biscuits and like to eat yoghurts and bread, but we gave him very small pieces or portion so that he will not gag and vomit.
He will choke when water goes into his mouth and he will vomit thereafter. When he was 1.5 years old, he will vomit 2 to 3 times a day, but now lesser 1 time a day. His weight is ok for his age as we are currently feeding him from the bottle puree when he is sleeping twice a day. He is speaking well and he is hitting his milestones for his age, except for the eating part. We are currently seeing occupational therapist on this and I am not sure whether he will outgrow it when he is older. I am concerned about it and hope whether you have similar experience and can help. Thanks
Hey Rick,
Thanks for reaching out to us! I’m glad to hear that you are getting some help from an occupational therapist. I’d ask them about what they are seeing, from what you are stating it could be some oral motor and/or sensory difficulties causing him to gag. These things can be addressed and worked on. Hopefully you are getting some activities to be doing within the home from your therapist as well. We do have a free workshop that might be helpful for you as well, it helps set up a positive no pressure environment. You can save your seat here
Best,
Desiree
I’m so happy to have come across your page. My 3 year old girl I would say has sensory problem from what you explained. She only takes anything liquid such as juice and purée. I have tried several methods but not working. Hoping to get a better result with the idea you gave. Thank you
Yay, so happy you came across some strategies that are helpful for you!! We do have free workshops too, that can walk you through picky eating. You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
Plushy my girl is 2 and only eats puree and liquids. It’s exhausting😫
Hi! My 14 month old baby will only eat plain yogurt or apple sauce. If she gets anything with texter, she will gag and throw up. I‘m at my witts end as to what to do for her. I spoke with her doctor and he said just keep trying, but every time I try she throws up. Please help me, I just don’t know what to do or whom to take her to see.
Hey Emily!
So sorry you are not finding help with your daughter! We’d first recommend working on making sure you are brushing her teeth and gums, a few times a day. This can help increase acceptance to textures as well as help decrease gagging. We also have a free workshop that is perfect fit for what you are going through filled with strategies for helping your child move through eating of foods. You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
My child is 6 and is only feeding on milk. When he was younger, he used to eat dry and crispy foods like saltine crackers and wafers, then hashbrowns. He hates the sight of foods and gags at the sight and smell of it. He even hates it when he sees me holding a spoon while approaching him. I don’t know how to feed him. Thank you in advance!
Hey Chris,
We understand how hard and stressful this is to work on feeding your child. I’d first start trying to get him to work on touching of foods during some play activities/food prep outside of mealtimes. Touching is the first step to eating, this can help transfer over to mealtimes for him to be more comfortable as well. We also have a free workshop that will be helpful with great strategies to work on this. You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
Hi, oh man it’s overwhelm and relieving to see so many comments from parents, and recent ones. I’m at a breaking point. My son turned four this week, and has always been a picky eater. We’re exploring sensory issues in general as he has a few indicators of different sensory issues and my husband has auditory processing disorder. From what the OT said that we spoke to, his issues didn’t seem too “severe” but he doesn’t eat. I’ve noticed that he really has his biggest meal for breakfast and after that he doesn’t much, but right now we are down to one food; hamburger bun. That’s all he’ll eat. I’m overwhelmed by this and is making it difficult to make dinner in general. I’m always trying to think of ways to feed him and come up short every time. Of course he’ll eat anything with sugar in it, but that’s it. That and hamburger buns. He removed the fruit from his first birthday cake, he had trouble gaining weight and nursing at first, and refused many of his first purées. I can’t pinpoint a texture he doesn’t like. He wanted ramen noodles everyday two weeks ago and tonight had one bite and said they were gross and started gagging. I can’t tell if it’s a power play/developmental or sensory. He’s constantly asking us to hold his food and drink “for later” and when I try to explain that this is the meal time he just says ok and doesn’t eat. I realize some people eat to live and others live to eat and I can see that he’s the latter but as a mother I’m worried and frustrated. Any advice??
Hey Erin,
Thanks for reaching out!! Typically there is an underlying cause to the picky eating and not just a power play, especially with what you are describing. Extreme picky eaters would rather go without than actually eat a food they do not want. Even if there is “some” sensory it can be helpful to work on it! Doing lots of play in different textures can be helpful. We do have a free workshop that walks you through the first basic steps of picky eating and what to do. You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
Hi! My premie baby is 18 months, 2 months adjusted. He does not like to even taste lichi, ice cream and raisin. As soon as I bring these to his mouth he starts yucking as if he will vomit . He doesn’t eat them with distraction also. He spits even a tiny piece as soon as it is put in his mouth. He run away to see them as he don’t wanna eat. How should I make him eat these?
Hey Sweety,
We’re so glad to have you here! We know it can be really discouraging when our little ones refuse to eat table foods. It sounds like the sensory experience of eating might be a challenge. That can happen when our little ones gag before they’re fed. We also have a free table foods workshop that would be a great place for you to start. You can save your seat HERE! I hope that helps 🙂
Best,
Andrea
My 11 year old has suddenly been unable to eat solid foods. He’s always exhibited signs of sensory eating issues (can’t do spicy or very sweet) and other sensory behaviors, but he typically loves food. It began with feeling like something was stuck in his throat then turned into a fear of things not passing and now he just can’t make himself swallow. He will chew endlessly then end up spitting it out. How do I address this with him? Do I see if it will pass in its own? Find an occupational therapist? Counseling? He’s genuinely sad he can’t make himself eat, other than smoothies, soups, and mashed foods. When do I worry that it is structural? (He struggled with eating coordination as a newborn and used to do the “stuffing” behaviors. We’re in the middle of Covid and I’m sure he’s feeling more anxiety with the disruption in schedule and tense environment of it all. Thank you for your advice!
Hey Debra,
So sorry you and him are going through this! With him WANTING to eat foods, I’d make sure to reach out to your doctor just to check structurally and make sure there isn’t something causing it to be hard for him to swallow or cause pain ie: reflux. After all that, sounds like it’s him building trust that it will be okay to swallow. I’d start with safe foods and try to work up from there with soft foods, meltables, etc.
Best,
Desiree
Hi there. My 14 month old baby gags when I feed her baby food. She eats finger food for example mince, pasta, corn from the cob, peas, bread, boiled egg, cheese and a variety of fruits. But she gags on food giveN to her on a spoon and some other table food like chicken. She was born at 35 weeks and struggled To drink her bottle. She cried when the bottle touched her lips. I took her for many OT observations and they could not find anything wrong with her. She eventually started to drink het bottle at 4.5months. She was fine eating her food a few months ago but now she eats so little? She has lost a bit of weight but still weight 9.8kg. Do you think she has a sensory issue? Thank you!!
My 12 year old daughter has issues with eating under-cooked food.
Even if it’s not under-cooked, she is frightened it is, and purposely burns it, or subtly avoids it.
Hey Ari,
I’d try to talk with her about what is happening and try to help her address the issue (ie: if she doesn’t like to touch it based on texture) You can work on her touching and experimenting with food items outside of mealtimes. I’d also make sure there is no pressure at mealtimes, this may be helpful as well!
Best,
Desiree
My almost 10 month old will only eat purées baby food. Anything with texture or chunks and he will spit out immediately. He is underweight and doctor wants him to eat more. Could this be a sensory issue? He is only recently chewing on teethers.
Hey Anna,
So glad you reached out to us! Baby food with chunks (ie: stage 3 food) can actually be really hard for babies to work through. If he’s taking purees well, you can try meltables to see how he does with those, ie: puffs to start working towards eating of table foods. We do have a free workshop that helps walk you through this transition process and ways to help! You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
hi, I am a mom of an almost 3 year old boy. We are suspecting that he falls into the autism spectrum as he is showing some red flags including refusal to eat. We are just waiting for his assessment and diagnosis. He is only taking milk when he reached 1 and a half old. I started to feed him with pureed food when he was 6mos old and apple was his favorite. Then slowly we are giving him some textured food like porridge but then after 5spoons he will vomit until he stopped eating totally. Everytime we offer food he will run away and if we force him to tey he will cry. I’ve read your article and will try to do those tips, but maybe you can give me specifics that i should try for my son. Thank you and God bless!
Hey Andrea,
Thanks for reaching out! I’d really try to work on getting him to touch different textures of food to start. This is the first step in eaing, and often something that kids can shy away from with sensory difficulties. We do have a free workshop that would be helpful for you as well. You can save your spot HERE
Best,
Desiree
Hi! I just read your article as I’m trying to find the best solution to make my 13 month old eat solid food. He has never liked being fed since we introduced solids to him at 4months, he refused being fed with a spoon so we moved on to baby led weaning. He has always shown interest in food, trying to grab the food from our plates and as he got older would pick up the food and put it in his mouth. The problem is he NEVER swallows. He doesn’t seem to want to try some fruit but he’ll try any type of meat, cheese, sandwich, bread, or dry snack (puffs, bars, crunchies) etc. he will take bites or put pieces in his mouth and suck on it for a long time but always spits it out before taking the next bite. The few times he has tried to swallow he gags and coughs until he spits it out and then starts all over. I feel like I’ve tried everything and nothing has worked so far. Do you have any input for his case? Any advice would be so appreciated as my husband and I have not been able to see the light at the end of this tunnel :/
Thank you!!
Hey Andrea,
We totally understand where you are coming from and know how hard this can be. Great job at offering of foods and to be continuing with the process. I’d make sure to be working on brushing his teeth/gums, this can be extremely helpful in decreasing of the gag reflex in his mouth! We do have a free workshop that you will find some great information in as well. You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
My 3 yr old still poos on himself. Somehow he is starting to talk like a baby although he was talking fluently
I guess my 14 month old daughter also is having sensory processing issue as she just pockets most of the food. Only food she lets it in is Milk and fried crunchy salty snack. She do not accept anything which is in liquid form but when I try to give her something which is solid , even small portion makes her uncomfortable and she start coughing.
I am not sure what kind of food I should give her as an option which are healthy and she can eat. I am vegetarian.
My daughter’s weight is 7 kg after 14 months. Her Birth weight was 2.3 kg and was born premature on 36.6 weeks.
Hey Thanks for reaching out! We understand how hard this is when your child is not eating well. Make sure that you are providing her with opportunities to play with food to touch and explore as this can be really great for sensory processing. Also, I’d try to practice brushing her teeth before meals to provide her with input as this can help to decrease the pocketing as well. I’d recommend our free workshop which will walk you through what kinds of foods to start with first as well as other tips that can help! You can save your seat HERE
Best,
Desiree
I am writing a research paper for a graduate class on picky eaters in infancy/toddlerhood and I am interested in what research you used to garner all of this information? You have great ideas here, but I don’t think my professor would approve of a blog as academic research 🙂 Just wondering if you could point me in the direction of your information. Thank you much!
Hey Hannah,
A lot of the research comes from Ellyn Satter Division of Responsibility, SOS approach to feeding, Food Chaining and The Out of Sync Child! Hope that helps 🙂
Best,
Desiree