It’s really no wonder that most of us love to eat. Eating is a fabulous multisensory experience. But when it comes to food, sensory processing disorder can make mealtimes anything but fun. To them, the process is overwhelming and can lead to a meltdown.
What many people who enjoy eating don’t realize is what an ordeal eating really is. It is the only task of human functioning that uses all organ systems, and one swallow uses no less than 26 muscles to complete. In addition, eating requires coordination of all eight sensory systems.
When a child over- or under-registers smells, tastes, textures or even the sight of certain foods, they might refuse to eat all but a small number of “safe” foods each day. Parents of toddlers are used to dealing with picky eaters, but kids with sensory processing disorder often eat so little in both amount and variety that nutrition becomes a very real issue.
What is sensory processing disorder?
Help for sensory processing disorder: A parent’s journey
If your child has sensory processing disorder and refuses to eat most foods (and they are beyond a picky eater), you should ask your doctor for a recommendation to an occupational therapist. The occupational therapist will work with your child to help them process the stimuli and get through a meal with as few problems as possible.
Sarah Joseph’s journey with SPD started with her son being sensitive to wearing certain clothes. He felt they were too scratchy. “Then it progressed to bigger issues, like not being able to eat certain foods because the textures bothered him,” she told Mom.com. Not only did she talk to doctors about the condition, she joined a support group where she could learn from what other moms were doing.
She began to develop a plan that helped her child eat a more well-rounded diet. “It wasn’t easy, and there are still days when I feel like I’m failing," she said. "But I’ve learned that the best thing I can do is to keep educating myself and stay positive.”
