Heightened anxiety and Sensory based feeding aversions

Many of the children I see for feeding therapy have increased anxiety surrounding new foods and many will "shut down" so to speak at the very sight or mention of a new or undesired food. When working with families I ask them to list their child's favorite foods and then I examine the various properties and help plan which foods to introduce based on the similarities. Pairing desired foods with new or undesired foods has been helpful with many children...you do not want to be 'sneaky', but rather discuss the similarities and provide opportunities for exposure and for your child to build trust and familiarity with the new foods.

It is not uncommon to see a child with a limited diet Love foods that are crunchy, sweet, salty, even spicy. What is the common factor in those type of foods? They all have an increased sensory value and give more feedback! A child who loves barbeque chips for example, may love the idea of having chicken tenderloins coated and baked in her favorite bbq chips. This is a way you can expand on a food. Children who prefer these types of foods often Overstuff foods, usually the foods that are a little softer. Here is a great article by Suzanne Evans Morris regarding overstuffing: Mouth Stuffing.

Yesterday I discovered a great blog written by the co-authors of Food Chaining. I did not realize that the treatment approach I use with many children is similar to the concepts and plan in Food Chaining. Please check out the site, it is a great resource and lists many others! I plan to order the book and incorporate some of the examples in my own therapies! I spoke with a very sweet, very concerned mother of a 5 year old son who has a diet limited to 4-5 'staple' foods. Her story is like many others--she knows her sons anxiety and panic surrounding new foods is not typical of other children his age but she is having trouble seeking treatment. A speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist specializing in pediatric feeding disorders is sometimes difficult to come by but we are out there! I hope to continue adding to this site and eventually have a list of treatment centers and speech and occupational therapists working in the field of pediatric dysphagia; so if you happen to be reading this and are a professional in the field or have a recommendation for other families, please leave a comment below! Most Children's hospitals have a feeding/swallowing program and will offer outpatient treatment. You can also check with any company that offers speech or occupational therapist and ask if there is a therapist/therapists who works in the area of feeding.

Below is an example of introducing a new food, discussing its properties, presenting it in a new form (puree for dipping) and pairing it with a like colored desired foods.