What it means
Taste is triggered by the chemical content of substances in the environment. The chemical particles are picked up by receptor sites on the tongue. There are four tastes perceived: sweet, sour, bitter and salty.
Children have more taste buds than adults so they usually have a more highly developed sense of taste. A child may have difficulties perceiving taste of be oversensitive to strong tastes, which can lead to issues at mealtimes.
Touch and pressure receptors in the mouth perceive information about texture and sensation of food. Taste also works very closely with smell. It is rare to taste something without smell, as our smell sensation elaborates on the information received about food.
Hypersensitive
| Potential signs | Potential impact | Strategies to assist with learning |
|---|---|---|
| Potential signsFussy, picky eaters | Potential impactReduced variety of foods eaten | Strategies to assist with learningInvolve children in food activities but remove pressure to try/taste products |
| Potential signs | Potential impactWeight loss | Strategies to assist with learningAgree 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 |
| Potential signsDislike strong taste | Potential impactAvoidance of activities, such as participating in group work where food and taste are involved | Strategies to assist with learningRemove pressures in lunch hall to eat what’s put in front of them |
| Potential signs | Potential impact | Strategies to assist with learningTry to explore variety of tastes (sweet, sour, salty, bitter) in a variety of textures (soft, hard, crunchy) to expand variety of foods. |
Hyposensitive
| Potential signs | Potential impact | Strategies to assist with learning |
|---|---|---|
| Potential signsTeasing and licking of non-food items such as pencils and sleeves | Potential impactDangers involved from chewing non-food items | Strategies to assist with learningCognitive strategies to verbalise the danger in liking non-edible items. |
| Potential signsFood cramming | Potential impact | Strategies to assist with learning |
| Potential signsPreference for strong tastes such as chilli and lemons | Potential impact | Strategies to assist with learning |
