The sensory and core connection to feeding

Eating is one of the busiest jobs a child does. It uses every sense at the same time, plus the muscles that hold the body steady. When one of those pieces is hard for your child, meals can feel hard too. Knowing the pieces helps you see what your child needs.

Your child's 8 senses at the table

• Smell: What is nearby, and if it seems safe or tasty · A strong smell can make a child gag or leave the table.
• Taste: Sweet, salty, sour, bitter and savory · Some kids stick to one kind of flavor. Others look for strong flavors.
• Touch: Texture, temperature and pain, in the hands and mouth · Mixed textures, like soup with chunks, can feel like too much.
• Sight: Color, shape and where things are · A new color or a mixed-up plate can lead to a quick "no."
• Hearing: Sounds near and far · A loud kitchen or crunchy chewing sounds can distract or upset a child.
• Body position: Where the body, jaw and tongue are, without looking · Helps your child know how hard to bite and where food is in the mouth.
• Movement and balance: Speed, direction and which way is up · Helps your child sit upright and stay steady in the chair.
• Inside-body signals: Hunger, fullness, thirst, bathroom needs and feelings · Helps your child notice when they are hungry or full.

What this can look like

• Big reactions: your child may turn down new foods because of how they look, smell, feel or taste.
• Too little feedback: your child may stuff the mouth, chew softly or lose track of food in the cheeks.
• Trouble planning the moves: your child may find it hard to move food around with the tongue or to chew it well enough to swallow safely.

Why a strong core matters

The core is the group of muscles around the belly, back and hips. A steady core lets the arms, hands, jaw and tongue move with control. It also supports breathing, which has to work together with chewing and swallowing.

When the core is weak or tired, a child may slump, lean on the table or wiggle a lot. Then the mouth has to work harder, and swallowing can be less safe.

Set up the seat

Feet supported: flat on the floor, a footrest or a sturdy box.

Hips and knees bent at about 90 degrees, like the corner of a square.

Back upright and supported, with the table close to elbow height.

What you can do at home

• Check your child's seat before each meal. A rolled towel behind the back or a box under the feet can help.
• Keep meals calm. Turn off the TV, lower other noise and keep the table simple.
• Serve one new food next to a food your child already likes. Let your child look at it, touch it and smell it with no pressure to eat it.
• Try a few minutes of movement or heavy work before meals, like animal walks or carrying groceries, if your therapist suggests it.
• Keep up with your home program. Many of the activities build core strength and body awareness that carry over to the table.

Safety

• Always stay with your child while they eat.
• Never force food or hold your child's mouth open.
• Call your child's doctor or therapist if your child often coughs, chokes or gags during meals, or is losing weight.

Your Oaklin Lane therapist will use movement, touch and body-awareness activities in therapy and will send home ideas that fit your child's feeding goals.