Sensory Integration Disorder -- also called Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD -- is a neurological condition wherein messages from the senses get mixed up in the brain causing problems with the interpretation of sensory information, says the Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation. Usually diagnosed in early childhood, SPD varies widely in terms of severity but can cause significant difficulty with the tasks of normal daily life, including eating.
Background
According to a 2009 study reported in the "Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology," roughly one in six elementary-school children experience notable problems with sensory processing; however, much like autism-spectrum disorders, SPD exists on a diagnostic continuum, with symptoms ranging from the mild to the debilitating. Individuals with SPD may have hypersensitivity toward or trouble interpreting perceptions about the way things look, smell, sound or feel. They may be easily bothered by texture and taste. These last two symptoms can cause problems with food and eating.
Food Issues
One challenge for individuals with SPD is food intolerance. Children, especially, with sensory problems often find many foods troubling due to their textures. While picky eating is common among young children in general, food intolerance in children with SPD is more intense than the food rejection of many typical preschoolers and can frustrate parents greatly. Children with SPD may be so unable to tolerate particular textures -- smooth mashed potatoes or peanut butter, for example, or rough-textured cereal or crackers -- that their food choices become exceedingly narrow and disrupt family meals, outings that involve eating in public, birthday parties and the like.
Treatment
The Sensory Processing Disorder Foundation explains that the symptoms of SPD -- including food intolerance -- are generally treated via occupational therapy, or OT. Occupational therapy involves one-on-one guidance and work with a trained clinician who gradually coaches the individual with SPD toward accepting new sensory stimuli and completing normal tasks in a more functional way. This may involve slowly helping a child with SPD to try to begin to tolerate formerly rejected foods with strong textures or tastes until his food options are expanded.
Considerations
Sensory Processing Disorder is a complex neurological condition that can only be fully and correctly evaluated and diagnosed by an expert medical professional. If you have concerns about SPD, consult your pediatrician or family doctor, neurologist or neuropsychologist for evaluation and recommendations. She can help determine if intensive services are needed to treat and cope with food intolerance and the other symptoms of SPD. A registered dietitian with experience in this area may also be helpful.
