{"id":132475,"date":"2021-04-28T14:41:18","date_gmt":"2021-04-28T19:41:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/madison\/?p=132475"},"modified":"2021-04-28T14:41:18","modified_gmt":"2021-04-28T19:41:18","slug":"sensory-blog-oral-sensory-processing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/madison\/sensory-blog-oral-sensory-processing\/","title":{"rendered":"Sensory Blog- Oral Sensory Processing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oral Sensory Processing<\/strong><\/p>\n

Guest blog written by Occupational Therapy Assistant Student, Juliana Lehman OTAS<\/p>\n

Advisement, Editing and Supervision by Deborah Bebeau EdD, OTR<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>Does your child gag, turn away from or avoid most foods? Conversely, does your child seek out chewy or crunchy substances consistently throughout the day? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you have plenty of company.<\/p>\n

Children can be hyper-sensitive or under-responsive to oral stimuli (Cermac, 2010). It is estimated that 5-10% of typically developing children have a serious feeding disorder and up to 80% of children with developmental disabilities (Children\u2019s Wisconsin, 2021). The oral-sensory aspect of eating requires the tissues of the mouth to perceive sensory information such as taste, temperature, and texture of food. Children can have challenges with any or all parts of the feeding process (Children\u2019s Wisconsin, 2021).<\/p>\n

Oral Sensory Sensitivity<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Many children get the moniker of \u201cpicky eater\u201d and the hope of most parents is that they will just grow out of it. A smaller appetite and hesitancy to try new foods can be in the range of normal childhood development. \u00a0Our food palate does expand with age (Anil, 2019) and presents with some regard to family preferences, but early evaluation and intervention can help insure a varied nutritional diet and encourage certain responses at mealtimes (Curtin, 2015). Preferred food choices may in part be due to sensory sensitivities. These sensory sensitivities contribute to difficulties in an important activity of daily living, feeding and eating.\u00a0 The senses involved in eating are multi-fold, and the avoidance of oral stimulation may be a form of touch aversion (Cole, 2018).\u00a0 With oral defensiveness, avoidance of oral stimulation, a child may turn down foods with certain textures, because of how they feel in the mouth.\u00a0 Toothbrushing participation can also be difficult.<\/p>\n

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often display food selectivity because of sensory impairment or defensiveness (Leader, 2020).\u00a0 Smell can also affect eating choices. When children smell food that they cannot tolerate, it may inhibit them from eating.\u00a0 Children with Down Syndrome (DS) may have food selectivity because of low tone.\u00a0 This means that all musculature phases of swallowing are affected.\u00a0 The oral phase may present with tongue thrusting and not wanting to chew food.\u00a0 The preference may be sucking on food until it dissolves.\u00a0 This will cause food to lose any of the flavor it once had and delay swallowing.\u00a0 Tongue thrust, difficulties in chewing, poor lip closure, and choking can also contribute to difficulties when eating or feeding. The greatest difficulty eating safely is often moving from solid food to liquid (Bernhardt, 2019).\u00a0 Food can remain in the cheeks, or not be fully broken up and then swallowing a liquid happens too fast.<\/p>\n

Potential Solutions:<\/u><\/p>\n

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  1. Use gum massage for oral stimulation: https:\/\/www.arktherapeutic.com\/blog\/gum-massage-for-oral-stimulation\/<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Add oral activities into the daily routine such as blowing on whistles, blowing cotton balls or bubbles with a straw<\/li>\n
  3. Try a fun vibrating toothbrush to provide oral sensory input that may help wake up the mouth (Lowsky, 2016)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Oral Sensory Seeking<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Some children may be regarded as never appearing satisfied with enough oral stimulation, seeking chewy or crunchy substances throughout the day. These children may have an oral sensory need for input that can, especially during times of stress or anxiety, help calm, focus, and self-regulate (Lowsky, 2016). If under-responsive to oral stimulation, they may appear to put everything in their mouths, seeking an oral response. With oral under-responsiveness children may stuff their mouths way too full or put unhealthy or unsafe objects in their mouths.\u00a0 If you are noticing these behaviors in your child, begin a discussion with your child\u2019s physician and then your therapy team.\u00a0 Ideally, the conversation will lead to specific behavioral explanations and potential solutions spelled out in a step-by-step manner. Your doctor might provide solutions such as seeing a dentist to rule out medical issues, gum massage, changing toothpaste, play with food, separate food on plate into sections, or have your child participate in pretend feeding of a stuffed animal. From here specialized therapists can implement a specific plan to address the behavior with parental involvement, teaching and implementation.<\/p>\n

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    Potential Solutions:<\/u><\/p>\n

    1.Give them something safe to chew on: https:\/\/www.arktherapeutic.com\/oral-motor-chewing-tools\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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    2. Add chewy and crunchy food to the child\u2019s diet such as carrots, crackers, apples or foods with strong intense flavors such as lemons<\/p>\n

    3. Add vibration for increased stimulation:<\/p>\n

    https:\/\/www.arktherapeutic.com\/arks-z-vibe-vibrating-oral-motor-tool\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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    Please remember that these are only some ideas and an in-person evaluation with a trained professional is recommended for the best treatment for YOUR child<\/strong>. Each child is very individual and specialist therapy may be necessary to make adaptations to diet or the eating process.\u00a0 Some possible parental choices include consultations and appointments with Healthcare professionals and Therapists, support from specialized community resources, adaptive technology implements, counseling services, and educational sources.<\/p>\n

    Healthcare Professionals may include: <\/u><\/p>\n