Rethinking Messy Eating
As an OT, there are many different things we look at when it comes to eating and feeding with the littles, but here we are going to talk specifically about the capacity for kids to process food in their mouth and feel comfortable with that. At times there are vulnerabilities or differences that come into play in terms of eating "cleanly" or in a "socially appropriate way."
TWO POSSIBLE AREAS OF VULNERABILITIES:
Awareness of Midline: The midline of the body is built through the foundation of sensory integration, how we are taking in the world, how they are processing their body in space - orienting to sights and sounds helps us recognize “I am here”, and helps us feel confident in space as a result. The tongue’s motor coordination is rooted in this awareness of midline. If a child is not subconsciously able to find where the midline of their mouth is, it's going to be uncomfortable to eat because the tongue motor is in charge of mobilizing food safely in our mouths.
Low Muscle Tone OR Decreased Strength: For kids that have low muscle tone or if they difficulty knowing how much to activate the muscle, they may chew with their mouth open because it feels more comfortable. When kids are developing the muscle awareness and strength, it makes sense eating will be messier.
Under Responsive to Sensory Input: If a child is eating with food all over their face, the child may not be aware or have the tactile awareness or the proprioceptive capacity to know there is food in their mouth. If the child isn't able to identify where food is in or around their mouth, of course, they're going to eat messily or a not "socially acceptable way." They may not even be getting the sensory that they have food on their face to wipe off. This is the child that may fill their mouth completely with food as it enables them to feel where it is in their mouths, or the child who takes just a bit because they’re struggling to localize where the food is positioned in their mouths.
SOME THINGS TO TRY:
Enhance postural security and facilitate body awareness. Provide seating support of a level surface under foot, 90 degree angles at the ankle, knee, and hip joints, and a secure seating option. This facilitates digestion by promoting upright posture and provides kinesthetic feedback to organize and enhance emotional security throughout mealtimes. This strengthens sense of midline and eases visual and oral motor control as a result.
Notice triggers or emotional responses that arise within us: Notice all judgments that arise - don’t hold back! Let them all out there as this is the only way we will be able to work through them. We ALL have patterns of judgments, thoughts that arise, disgust or frustration that shows up along the way about eating volume, eating style, cleanliness - the more we are aware of our “shadow” thoughts the more we can consciously accept and shift them.
Use mealtimes to focus on exploration, connection, not pressure about consumption. Kids have control over their food consumption and potty training and often emotional issues surface around these themes. If we can cultivate an environment of acceptance, exploration, and nurturing, our role in providing predictable safe experiences may be most helpful of all
If we get triggered by how they are eating and are tempted to control, control kids’ behavior - chew with mouth closed, stop doing that, etc - we miss the factors at play creating challenges for the child in this area.
It is our gift of investigation that will observe, observe, and take steps from there.
Remember:
As always: this is not to put kids in boxes or to put labels on them, it is to start thinking differently and offering different perspective to some of these behaviors.