Sensory Eaters
I understand how challenging it can be to navigate the world of food with a child who has sensory-related eating challenges. Are you feeling overwhelmed by mealtime battles and worried about your child’s nutrition? Every child is unique, and so are their sensory experiences. For kids with sensory processing difficulties, mealtime can be a battlefield of sensations, affecting their food choices, eating habits, and overall nutrition. Do you struggle to find foods that your child can tolerate and enjoy? I know how crucial it is to support your child’s unique needs while making mealtimes enjoyable for the whole family. Let us help you make this journey smoother and more successful.
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How can Dr Kirsty help me with my Child?
Dr. Kirsty Porter is an award-winning Nutritionist and NHS Paediatric Dietitian with extensive research experience in children’s nutrition, particularly sensory related food challenges.
Dr. Kirsty is an empathetic professional dedicated to helping parents navigate fussy eating challenges in children. Her passion lies in supporting families through practical strategies aimed at overcoming feeding challenges and making mealtimes positive and enjoyable for both parents and children.
If you’re a parent struggling with sensory related food challenges in your child, take the first step and reach out today. Kirsty is here to provide the support you need.
Kirsty will at times recommend additional support to compliment your work with her. She has a range of connections in both the NHS and private sector, spanning services including Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Psychologists and she can make recommendations for these services and collaborate with them to give you 360 degree support to get through this challenge as a team. She understands that the NHS has gaps and she wants to bring together the ultimate ‘dream team’ to make your child’s experience with good a positive one.
Let Dr. Kirsty support you and your Child
Done with you
1-1 Support Call £150
Personalised 1-1 chat with Dr Kirsty for parents seeking thorough support and guidance to discuss your child’s specific feeding concerns and mealtime difficulties. Kirsty will then work with you to answer all your questions.
All your challenges will be addressed with a follow up bespoke one to one package. The bespoke package will include personalised one to one consultations, online support, and digital products to support your journey.
Done with yourself
Sensory Support Online Programme £449
Dr Kirsty along with Grace, a children’s occupational therapist, have created a comprehensive programme, not available on the NHS. Designed to support parents of children with sensory feeding challenges, this comprehensive course provides practical tools and strategies for improving mealtimes.
What’s covered:
- Gradual exposure techniques to new foods and textures
- Sensory-friendly meal planning and recipes
- Tailored strategies based on your child’s sensory profile
- Creating a supportive mealtime environment
- Addressing food aversions and building variety
Start today and make lasting changes for happier, stress-free mealtimes!
Dr Kirsty on Sensory Challenges
Every child is unique, and so are their sensory experiences. For kids with sensory processing difficulties, mealtime can be a battlefield of sensations, affecting their food choices, eating habits, and overall nutrition. But fear not, for we’ll also share invaluable tips to help your child thrive at the table.
Children use all 8 senses at mealtimes, this includes sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste. All senses work together to create a mealtime experience when we eat food.
Slight adjustments can significantly enhance mealtimes by customising the eating experience to accommodate a child’s specific sensory triggers. Understanding a child’s sensitivities and incorporating sensory-friendly strategies can create a more comfortable and enjoyable environment during meals.
Sensory Eaters at Meal Times
Eating is a sensory experience!
So how are the 8 senses used for child at mealtime? Below are 6 different sensory steps that a child undertakes before eating.
- Visually tolerating
- Interacting with the food
- Smelling the food
- Touching the food
- Tasting the food
- Eating the food
From the 6 different stages above, it is clear to understand that eating and processing food is one of the most complex multisensory experiences we put our body’s through, and it happens multiple times a day. Therefore, as a parent it is important to appreciate that for a child whose cognition is still developing, the seemingly effortless task of eating can be a very overwhelming daily experience for a child.
Advice for parents dealing with sensory eaters
Navigating Sensory Eating Challenges
When feeding your child, it’s essential to consider their unique sensory needs and preferences. One effective strategy is to serve the same meal as the rest of the family, accompanied by a “safe” food that your child is comfortable with.
Model Healthy Eating Habits
Children often learn to enjoy new foods by observing their parents. Eating together as often as possible allows you to model healthy eating habits, encouraging your child to try new things in a low-pressure environment.
Offer Small Portions
Introduce new foods in small portions and acknowledge your child’s effort to try them, regardless of how much they consume. If your child rejects a food, avoid forcing them to eat it. Instead, remove the food without comment and offer it again at a later time.
Timing and Patience
Avoid offering meals when your child is overly hungry or tired, as this can exacerbate sensory sensitivities. Some children may need extra time to finish their meals, so patience is key. To keep them engaged, only have them sit at the table when the food is ready.
Limit Snacks
Restrict snacking to two or three healthy options between meals, including one before bedtime if necessary. Avoid using food as a reward, which can create a preference for sweets over healthier options. Instead, offer non-food rewards like a trip to the park or a fun game.
Create a Positive Mealtime Atmosphere
Make mealtimes enjoyable by engaging in conversation and creating a relaxed atmosphere. This can help reduce pressure and anxiety around eating. Inviting other children with healthy appetites or admired adults can also encourage your child to eat more willingly.
Modify Food Presentation
Changing the way food is served can make it more appealing. For example, if your child dislikes cooked carrots, try offering them grated and raw. Making food fun and visually interesting can also increase its appeal.
Stay Calm and Involve Them
If a meal isn’t eaten, remain calm and simply remove the plate without making a fuss. Children can sense anxiety, which may worsen the situation. Involve your child in meal planning, shopping, preparation, and clean-up to give them a sense of control and participation.
Encourage Messy Play
Allow plenty of time for messy play activities and food preparation. This can help children become more comfortable with different textures and reduce sensory sensitivities over time.
By considering these strategies, you can help your child navigate their sensory eating challenges and develop a healthier relationship with food.
Discover Dr Kirsty's Food Fun Kits
Are you worried about your child’s eating? Does your child eat a limited range of foods? Can’t get them to try new foods or eat fruit or vegetables? Then check out our new food fun box created by trusted experts a Children’s Dietitian and Occupational Therapist aka the dream team! The messy play aspects encourages your child to explore different smells, textures, temperatures and consistencies of food in a playful way! It removes all of the pressure of eating and makes food fun!
Box includes
- 4 great recipes on wipeable cards – Frozen Fruit Bark, Smoothies/Ice Lollies, Pancakes and Blueberry Flapjacks
- Set of 3 Star Cutters
- Set of 4 Kid Safety Knives
- 6 Silicone Muffin Cases
- 1 Kids Peeler
- 1 Kids Crinkle Cutter
- 2 Sensory Play bases (colours may vary)
- Mini Wooden Scoop
- Scissor Tongs
EDUCATIONAL & EASY-TO-USE – Our kit will help teach children how to follow recipes, measure ingredients, whisking, rolling, work with different measurement units. The cookware is kid sized so they are easy to use by children. The utensils are dishwasher safe and easy to clean so they can be can be reused as your junior chef turns into a MasterChef. The messy play aspects encourages your child to explore different smells, textures, temperatures and consistencies of food in a playful way! It removes all of the pressure of eating and makes food fun!
What causes sensory related feeding challenges?
Understanding Sensory Eating Challenges
Sensory eating challenges are part of a spectrum of feeding difficulties. These challenges are characterized by an unwillingness to eat familiar foods or to try new foods, as well as strong food preferences. The causes are multifaceted, with various contributing factors shaping a child’s eating habits. Consequences can include a limited dietary variety during early childhood. It’s important to note that food refusal is a normal phase that most young children pass through, and it can stem from several behavioural and developmental reasons.
Developmental Factors
Around the end of the first year, a child’s growth rate slows down, which could decrease their appetite. At the same time, toddlers may be experiencing a growing sense of independence and asserting themselves through food refusal. Their focus on learning new skills can make them less willing to pause and eat.
Fear of New Foods
When infants turn two, fear of new foods may emerge as a survival mechanism to prevent increasingly mobile toddlers from accidentally poisoning themselves. This fear can limit the variety of foods a toddler is willing to eat for some time. It’s common for a toddler to refuse food if it’s new to them. They may need to taste it multiple times to learn to like it, so it’s essential to offer it repeatedly without pressure.
Emotional and Physical Factors
A toddler’s appetite may also fluctuate based on a range of emotional and physical conditions. They may lose their appetite if they’re tired, unwell, feeling pressured to eat, frequently offered foods they dislike, rushed at mealtimes, or feeling sad, anxious, or insecure. Conditions like constipation and anemia can also impact their willingness to eat.
Sensory Sensitivities
In rare cases, sensory eating challenges can be linked to medical problems or a memory associated with discomfort when eating certain foods. Some toddlers who are extremely sensitive to sound, touch, or smells may also exhibit food refusal. For these children, it is especially important not to force them to eat foods they dislike, as this could lead to vomiting and eventually impact their growth.
Maintaining a Balanced Diet
It’s essential to continue offering a wide variety of foods from each of the food groups. Even if your child’s diet seems very limited, research shows that young children almost always manage to eat the right balance of nutrients needed for healthy growth and development. However, if your child is losing weight, seems lethargic, weak, irritable, or has a fever, it’s crucial to seek medical advice.
Understanding and addressing sensory eating challenges with patience and consistency can help your child develop a healthier relationship with food over time.
Why is my child struggling with sensory related feeding challenges?
If you’re questioning, “Why does my child have sensory eating challenges?” rest assured, you’re not alone. It’s quite common for children to experience these challenges due to a variety of reasons, many of which are part of normal childhood development.
Natural Waryness of New Foods
For starters, toddlers and young children are often naturally wary of new or different foods—a trait known as ‘neophobia.’ This is thought to be a survival mechanism that prevents them from eating potentially harmful substances. For some time, toddlers may limit the variety of foods they eat and may need to taste a food several times before they learn to like it.
Fluctuating Appetites
Young children’s appetites can fluctuate in response to their needs and emotions. They might lose their appetite if they’re tired, unwell, feeling pressured to eat, or experiencing negative emotions such as anxiety or insecurity. They may also eat less when they’re busy learning new skills and don’t want to stop to eat.
Sensory Sensitivities
Some children may have heightened sensitivity to certain tastes, textures, sounds, or smells. This can make mealtime challenging as they may refuse foods that trigger discomfort. It’s important not to force children to eat foods they find unpleasant, as this can lead to negative associations with eating and potentially cause further aversion.
Medical and Psychological Factors
Occasionally, sensory eating challenges can be linked to medical problems or memories associated with discomfort while eating. If your child’s sensory eating challenges persist or you have concerns, it’s a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional. They can check your child’s growth and development, and if necessary, refer your child to a specialist for further assessment.
Strategies for Broadening Food Preferences
Children are still developing their palate and may be more sensitive to certain tastes and textures. Offering a variety of healthy foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, and introducing new flavors and textures can help broaden their food preferences. Including higher-protein foods like meat, fish, nuts, and pulses at least twice a week can also be beneficial. Experimenting with fruits and vegetables using different herbs and spices in simple meals can make them more appealing and may encourage your child to try and enjoy new foods.
Patience and Persistence
Remember that this phase of sensory eating challenges usually passes with time. Keep offering a variety of foods without pressuring your child to eat the same meal. Above all, try to make mealtimes enjoyable and relaxed. This will help your child develop a healthy relationship with food for life.
By understanding and addressing sensory eating challenges with patience and creativity, you can support your child in navigating these difficulties and developing a more varied and nutritious diet.
