Just a Picky Eater? |
Many parents describe their child as a "picky eater." They determine this based on their child's limited food choices, slow eating, gagging on foods, being unwilling to try new foods, and spitting food out.
In situations like this, mealtime can become a difficult event. Parents often will resort to bargaining with their child, or they may go to great lengths to find and prepare foods in special ways so that the child will eat. It certainly can be a frustrating problem.
It is important to understand that many of these children are not just picky eaters! They may have underlying problems causing them difficulty with tolerance of flavors and textures of food. For example, children that have sensory integration dysfunction often have difficulty eating. Picky eating can be treated! When supported properly by a speech-language pathologist who specializes in feeding, mealtime can be pleasurable again. The root of the problem needs to be diagnosed, and then a treatment plan can be delineated. At Baron Therapy Services, LLC, many children have found the joy in food! Expert care can make the difference.
