Mealtimes
Unlike kids who are simply picky eaters, children with sensory issues can have extreme reactions to food and be so anxious about eating items that feel, taste, smell, or look repulsive that they’ll go without food rather than eat an offending item. Offer simple, healthy choices and pay close attention to the textures, smells, and sights the child can tolerate. Here are some sensory smart tips for picky eaters with sensory issues:

* If the child will tolerate a food with a particular texture and shape (such as chewy, small, and round like peas or corn kernels), work on introducing new foods that have the same texture and shape. If the child refuses mixed textured foods, which is very common, keep textures simple: plain yogurt instead of yogurt with fruit, thoroughly smooth refried beans, mashed potatoes that have no lumps, etc.

* Serve a very small portion and do it often. Don’t insist on “just one bite” until the child can tolerate the smell and site of the food on the plate, and the sensation of touching it with her finger, then to her lips or tongue. Be patient and keep trying.

* Kids with sensory issues can often discern hidden ingredients in sauces. If you have no luck sneaking vegetables into a sauce she’ll eat, try serving vegetables and fruits cut into pieces, with seeds removed if necessary.

* If your child severely self-limits her diets, especially if she limits to foods with gluten (wheat and other grains) or casein (a protein found in milk and milk products), she may have a gluten intolerance and/or a casein intolerance. Learn more about the GFCF (gluten-free, casein-free diet) here.

Potty Training

There are many potty training tips out there, but here are some that parents of kids with sensory issues have shared are especially helpful:

* Teach your child the feeling of wet vs. dry in the bathtub and whenever else you have the opportunity. Some children have difficulty potty training because they can’t identify the wet sensation.

* The tightness of close-fitting underpants or Pull-ups® diapers can cause a confusing sensation that distracts the child from the feeling of having to “go.” Try using boxer shorts or letting the child walk around with an uncovered bottom while you’re training.

* Provide a footstool as well as a training ring that fits inside a larger toilet seat so that the child feels stable on the seat and her/his feet aren’t dangling. This provides a sense of security that relieves some of the anxiety over using a toilet.

* Place toilet paper in the bowl before he or she goes to absorb some of the sound of splashing, which a child with auditory issues may find distressing.

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