Sensory processing handbook – taste hypersensitive

(over-sensitive)
Potential signs	Potential impact	Strategies to assist with learning
Fussy, picky eaters	Reduced variety of foods eaten	Involve children in food activities but remove pressure to try/taste products
A dislike of strong oral stimulation such as brushing teeth	Weight loss	Agree with the child which new foods they will try each week. Start with asking them to smell the foods and then move on at their pace to lick, taste and eat the food
Dislike strong taste	Avoidance of activities, such as going to the dentist or participating in group work where food and taste are involved	Remove pressures in lunch hall to eat what's put in front of them
Dislike certain food texture, such as soft or hard foods		As with the vestibular sense, significant difficulties in this area require graded and specialised programmes by trained professionals