In the post, we are sharing Gustatory Sensory Ideas for Kids. Sensory processing is the neurological process that organizes the sensory information received from its own body and environment allowing for effective interaction and response.
Gustatory Sensory Ideas for Kids
The following strategies are appropriate for most students, particularly those with sensory problems. Each strategy can be adapted to complement the students’ curriculum and individualized education plan.
Keep in mind that these are just some examples of gustatory sensory activities that can be incorporated into various classroom lessons and activities.
Experimenting with temperature:
- Comparison of frozen ice cubes and fruit to water and fruit at room temperature.
- Comparing conditions of matter, e.g. raw egg to cooked egg
Experimental with the texture:
Comparison of chewy, crispy, dry, soft and moist foods.
Blowing activities:
- Blowing bubbles
- Blowing paint or colored water from straw
- Use of specific music instruments, e.g. the recorder
- Blow paper football or quill.
Some Other Activites:
- Sniff and describe the smell without using sight.
- Blowin’ up balloons, man.
- Blowing bubbles
- Chewing gum
- Suck yummy lollipops or popsicles
- Draw something with smelly markers
- Drinking from a straw-especially thick liquid like smoothies
- Blog a cotton ball by straw and turn it into a run.
- Have your child help you cook for scents and tastes.
- The vibrating toothbrush provides an extra proprioceptive input and may help calm.
- Practice whistling songs, make everyone guess which song.
- Make sure you use non-toxic flavors to boost confidence.
- Introduce food to new ways, including textures, temperature, etc. Your child may prefer a dried cherry rather than a fresh cherry due to its different texture.
- Using a straw, blog bubbles in the tub or in a washbasin. Watch them grow up!
- Playing with sensory dustbins can help introduce different textures, odors, etc.
- Incorporate crisp or crispy snacks during the day.
Sensorial Processing
Sensory processing refers to the relationship between the brain and behavior, specifically with regards to taste.
It is a complex system that starts when food enters the mouth and comes into contact with the tongue’s papillae, which contain taste buds made of taste cells.
These cells send signals to the brain stem and gustatory cortex, which helps us distinguish safe from unsafe foods. Sensory taste is different from what we consider “taste” to be, which is actually a combination of taste and smell.
A sense of smell plays an important role for taste-sensitive children, along with proprioception (chewing pressure) and touch (texture). These additional systems work together with the taste system to affect how children interact with food.
Five main tastes are mentioned below:
- Sweet
- Sour
- Bitter
- Salty
- Savory
When assessing the need for sensory treatment for children with gustatory processing issues, it’s important to keep in mind that symptoms or characteristics alone do not necessarily indicate a disorder.
A disorder is only present when the symptoms are severe enough to significantly impact the child’s daily activities and quality of life.
If a child is experiencing significant difficulty with gustatory processing, it is advisable to seek guidance from a qualified occupational therapist with experience in treating gustatory dysfunction.
These therapists may recommend food therapy or oral activities as part of a sensory diet that can be tailored to the child’s specific needs and monitored for progress.
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