Feeding

Feeding describes interaction with food and the action of bringing it into the mouth. Yum yum!

Below you will see groups of behaviors that describe specific patterns of sensory processing. As you read through these lists, make note of any that stick out to you or seem to be descriptive of your child. Click on any group for more information about that particular pattern of sensory processing. Children can display different patterns at different times, so make sure to click on all that apply.

Over-Responsive

My child appears...

to struggle to look at or interact with foods of dissimilar colors, textures, shapes, or sizes; averse to too many foods on the plate or different foods touching; easily overwhelmed during mealtime; to frequently rub eyes, yawn during mealtime, cover food with a napkin, gag at the sight of certain foods, or look away from food
to struggle to participate in family meal time or appear distracted by ambient noise (TV, radio, multiple conversations); to express feeling afraid of, sickened by, or angered by the sound of others chewing/eating (misophonia)
to have difficulty touching or interacting with foods of specific textures or temperatures or show a strong preference for specific textures or temperatures (slimy, wet, chewy, crunchy, meltable, soft, frozen, hot, cool, lukewarm, mixed texture, pureed, smooth, rough/scratchy, sticky)
adamant about not going to certain restaurants, eating certain foods, or being in the same room as specific odors
show a strong preference for specific tastes (sweet, salty, meaty)
intolerant of heavy utensils, unable to cut food with a knife or fork, fatigued by bringing food to the mouth
rigid or robotic in movements or very still duirng feeding
to demonstrate decreased appetite

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Under-Responsive

My child appears...

clumsy using utensils, inattentive to contents of the plate, or to occasionally take a bite of something and then spit it out
struggle to participate in family meal time or appear distracted or or inattentive; unresponsive or slow to respond to requests to "pass the rolls" or take a conversational turn
to demonstrate poor awareness of the amount of food to bring to the mouth in one bite, to show a strong preference for specific textures or temperatures of food, or to be unaware of texture or temperature on the skin or in the mouth
to have loss of appetite or not to recognize if food is spoiled
to show a strong preference for specific tastes (sour, bitter, spicy, bold flavors)
to have difficulty participating in mealtime, sitting in the chair, stabilizing the body for good feeding posture, or to have difficulty bringing food to the mouth
to demonstrate confusion about the body's signs of hunger or fullness

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Seeking/Craving

My child appears...

to prefer foods with a variety of colors, textures, shapes, sizes; to food on the plate; to struggle with portions; or to be distracted during mealtime by other visual stimuli
to struggle to participate in family meal time or to be distracted by ambient noise (TV, radio, multiple conversations); to frequently use utensils to drum on the plate or the table
to excessively explore or play with food with hands; to smear food on face, skin, or other surfaces; to use the mouth and/or the tongue to explore objects beyond what is age appropriate; to prefer very specific textures or mixed textures; or to knowingly touch or mouth food that is too hot or cold
to frequently bring food to the nose or to prefer foods with bold flavors and aromas
to show a strong preference for specific tastes (sour, bitter, spicy, bold flavors)
to demonstrate a strong preference for chewy, crunchy, tough foods or drinking foods or thick liquids through a straw
to have difficulty sitting still to complete feeding tasks
to be out of touch with the body's signs of hunger and fullness

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Discrimination Disorder

My child appears...

clumsy using utensils, inattentive to the contents of the plate, or to frequently take a bite of something and then spit it out
unable to discern direction, volume, pitch, or quality of sound; confused by mealtime conversation
to struggle to determine if food is too hot or too cold or to distinguish between smooth or rough textures of food or utensils
to have difficulty distinguishing between good/bad smells or tastes, helpful/harmful smells or tastes, or different types of smells or tastes
uncertain of body position or relationship between body parts, especially when eyes are closed; to struggle to determine the amount of pressure to exert on untensils or to coordinate body parts together to stablize the plate, use a fork and knife, or bring the food successfully to the mouth
uncertain of head position, upright position, or speed of movements

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Postural Disorder

My child appears...

lazy or lethargic
to struggle to maintain position sitting at the table; to frequently appear tired or recline at the table
to be easily fatigued by everyday tasks
to have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), to frequently have food or liquid "go down the wrong pipe", or to frequently spill or "miss the mouth" when eating or drinking

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Dyspraxia

My child appears...

unaware of how to plan feeding tasks
uncertain of how to correctly sequence steps (i.e. may dunk a cookie in milk and then break it in half to share)
to struggle to complete steps even if he or she demonstrates understanding of the correct order (may stab a hot dog with a spoon and attempt to scoop applesauce with a fork)
may appear clumsy or struggle to keep food on utensils or bring utensils to the mouth

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Children with severe difficulties with feeding may need formal treatment from a Speech and Language Pathologist or an Occupational Therapist. Consult your family physician if more information is needed.

NEXT: Functional Mobility

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