Why Is My Child a Picky Eater?
Many kids can be picky eaters. However, if you are noticing that your child is struggling to try new foods and is extra picky, this should trigger a red flag. For many parents (especially first time parents), many food related symptoms may seem to be ordinary. After all, parents make daily attempts trying to get picky eaters to eat healthy and nutritious meals. The unusualness in these symptoms depends on the frequency, intensity and disruption of everyday life. These disruptions may lead parents to seek medical evaluation.
Food related sensory processing issues or sensory processing disorders can be due to many reasons:
Oversensitive to sensations of the different textures of food - This is known to Occupational Therapists as oral defensiveness. Typical reactions include gagging on solid food, strong flavors or lumpy textures
Oversensitive to smells – Here’s a fun fact, most people can only taste 5 flavors (bitter, sweet, sour, salty, umami), the other complex flavors are attributed to smell. When your child experiences sensory processing disorders they may seek bland food as a result
Sensory seeking children may dislike bland or soft foods, and seek crunchy, high texture or highly flavored
Sensory based motor disorders may avoid foods that take high coordination to eat, these children may have difficulty using utensils
Children with poor muscle tone (muscle weakness due to neurological reasons) may have trouble with chewing, or oral motor coordination, may prefer foods that doesn’t need to be chewed
Not all finicky eaters mean that there’s a problem. Here are some ways to address picky eating:
Figure out what is causing the picky eating - if your child is gagging or vomiting- this is your child’s brain warning them of danger. It’s best to seek an OT as a result of over-responsiveness to sensations, and cannot be overridden by reason
Baby steps – create a list of foods they do enjoy and what nutrients they may be lacking. Some questions to consider - are there any ways to update current foods with a healthier brand, is there any way to change the presentation of a the food to give it a friendlier appearance?
Respect your child’s response - this is important to build trust. We would advise against tricking your child into eating something they are refusing, or sneaking it into an item that doesn’t allow your child to choose accepting it
Offer, don’t force! - Allow the child the autonomy to choose or try something. Again, by building trust with your child and letting them accept foods slowly will increase their food choices. You get to decide what to serve and when. Your child gets to decide whether to eat it, and if so, how much.
Set Guidelines and routines – When a routine is set (as much as possible), it helps to decrease anxiety associated with mealtime, and increase feeling of control for your child
Encourage your child to experiment with adverse foods! - Not necessarily at mealtimes, but during play/free time to improve relationship with food
Old with the new - Offer the familiar and loved foods with new foods. Introducing new foods without any familiar foods might increase defiant behaviors and result in your child withdrawing from trying anything
Trial - It can take about 15 tries of a food for kids to accept it. Any interactions (sight, touch, smelling) with the food is a step in the right direction and is increasing exposure
Of course, there is more than one way to address sensory processing issues and each child is different. If you have more questions, please feel free to reach out to us at Smplytherapy@gmail.com or schedule a consultation here.
