from Caroline Pringle, Families and Professionals Advisor for child enquiries
Welcome to week 3 where I will cover taste and smell.
Remember certain reactions/experiences can be seen as hypo - low sensitivity or hyper - high sensitivity, for some children these can overlap and can also change over time.
Gustatory (Taste)
Mealtimes – your child’s posture at the table, the noise around them can affect their eating rather than the taste/texture of the food.
Also consider the temperature of the food better if not too hot and cools to room temperature and the plate is not piled up with food. Transition to trying new textures and mixing foods gradually.
Low sensitivity
Difficulties
• Likes spicy food
• Craves gluten to chew on
• Eats anything – wood/grass/soil
• Will stuff mouth full of food
Solutions
• Introduce new flavours/textures
• Latex free tubes (no gluten!)
• Chew Bracelets, chewy shapes
• Allow a child to use a sports bottle to sip water from during the day and/or drinking a thick milkshake through a straw.
High sensitivity
Difficulties
• Only eat ‘smooth’ food
• Problems with texture
• Flavours too strong
Solutions
• Introduce new/different textures e.g. straws, toothbrush, drinks bottles
• different foods e.g. foods to chew, crunch or suck,
• Encourage activities that use mouth e.g. whistles, blowing bubbles, blow football
Olfactory (Smell)
Low sensitivity
Difficulties
• No sense of smell
• Can’t smell burning
• Don’t notice extreme odours
• Might lick something
Solutions
• Use strong smells as rewards to keep them away from ‘bad’ strong smells! e.g. Vanilla
• Roll on aromatherapy oils
High sensitivity
Difficulties
• Smells are too overpowering - gets pleasure from these
• Sniffs everything
• Toileting problems
• Dislike of distinct smells e.g., Shampoo & soap
Solutions
• Use unscented washing powders etc.
• Don’t wear perfume
• Important to remember - some perfumes & smells can totally distract a child.