There’s a very special, newer approach to feeding that we’re using, amongst others, here at Cutting Edge. It’s called SOS feeding. It’s a sensory integration approach to feeding. We’re using this approach at both our Allen and Katy locations. It combines the textural issues that a lot of our kids have with feeding. There’s a deficit of work with feeding in our profession, so we’re very excited about this method!
A lot of times when a child with sensory integration feeding issues will come to a clinic, the parents are very excited for them to start on food right away. But we really have to back up and start working on other skills, before we work on eating food. Sometimes we start out just learning how to engage food in many capacities, and you can work on some of this at home.
How to help your child engage with food:
- Have the child feel foods with different textures.
- Have them squash things like grapes or tomatoes.
- Have them take some hard vegetables and feel what they’re like.
- Have them throw the vegetables like a ball, and see what they look like when they smash!
- Smell the food.
- Draw with the food.
- Create pictures with the food.
- Paint the food.
- Cut the food in half and use it as a stamp.
- Have the child sit in the bathtub and rub the food on their arms.
You’re only limited by your creativity and imagination!
The point is you’re trying to engage every sensory system that child has with that food, before you actually put it into the mouth which is one of our most personal sensory areas. We’re trying to almost desensitize and teach that child that you don’t need to be afraid of this item.
Just remember that it might take a while for us to actually get the food in the mouth, because we want that to be a positive experience, and not a traumatic experience. Need help putting together a feeding game plan for your child? Give us a call!
