EmphaSIze July 2024: Food and Sensory Issues
By Sensory Integration Education, 3 July 2024
Welcome to the July issue of EmphaSIze where this month we're focusing on Food and Sensory Issues!
Feeding is one of the most complex things we require our bodies to do because it involves every sensory system integrating information about our body and the world around us. This is why children and adults with sensory differences can find certain food types, eating and mealtimes challenging.
In this month's EmphaSIze, we've put together useful information, research, articles, books, and product ideas to help better inform ourselves of how sensory differences can affect children and adults with certain food types, feeding and mealtimes and what support we can offer them.
Also with our 2024 Conference less than 3 months away, we bring you exciting news of this month's SIE Conference Early Bird Sign-Up Offer! See the news item below for further details and book your free place this month to be in with a chance of winning!
News & Features
2024 SIE Conference Early Bird Offer – Sign Up for Free Today and Enter Our Prize Draw!
With this year’s SIE Conference less than 3 months away, we bring you exciting news of our Early Bird Conference Sign-up Offer which runs until midnight on 31st July*. Sign up for our free online Conference this month and you’ll be automatically entered into our Early Bird Prize Draw and in with a chance to win our top prize of a free one-year membership of SIE’s Lifelong Learning Programme** or one of these 3 fabulous runner-up book prizes:-
- Building Sensorimotor Systems in Children with Developmental Trauma: A Model for Practice – Sarah Lloyd
- Girl Unmasked: How Uncovering My Autism Saved My Life – Emily Katy
- The Adventures of Rose and Whizzle: A Tale of Harmony for Sensitive Ears – Katie Simons
Simply sign up here to claim your free ticket and enter our Early Bird Prize Draw!
* Please note all conference registrations received so far will be automatically entered into the Early Bird Prize Draw
** Or a free one-year renewal of the Lifelong Learning Programme if already a member
Have Your Say in SIE’s 30th Birthday Celebrations!
Did you know that SIE is celebrating 30 years of practice in Sensory Integration (SI) this year? As part of our celebrations, we’d like to invite you to take part in our 30th Birthday survey!
The survey comprises 4 questions and should take no longer than 2 minutes to complete. If you could spare a moment, we’d love to hear about your experiences with SI and your thoughts on what the next 30 years might hold. Join us in shaping the future by clicking here and completing the survey! (Please note that all responses are anonymous).
Introducing New Foods to Selective Eaters When You Want to Manage the Amount of Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) in Your Family's Diet
Ultra-processed food (UPF) has received a lot of attention in the media recently, accompanied by a growing body of research that shows that UPF is harmful to health. This has led to an interest in reducing the amount of UPF in our families' diets, but how do we manage these changes for family members who are selective eaters and have strict preferences on food types and brands?
This article looks at why there is concern about UPF, how to identify UPF and how to introduce new foods to selective eaters sensitively and taking into account practical considerations.
Thoughts from a Therapist: Showcasing Sensory Clinic Spaces
In this month’s Thoughts from a Therapist blog, OT and Advanced SI Practitioner, Anna Willis, gives us a sneak preview of what she’ll be presenting at this year's online SIE Conference.
In her presentation ‘Showcasing Sensory Clinic Spaces’, she explores the creative side of designing and implementing sensory clinic spaces – from the basic “we’ve only got this space, let’s squeeze a swing in” to the Star Institute Treatment Clinic in Colorado!
3 Things Impacting Eating Skills, Apart from Food Preferences
Children with sensory differences may struggle to eat at the table at mealtimes. Even discounting a limited range of preferred foods, there are things impacting a child’s eating skills that may not have been considered. For example, struggling to manipulate food or use cutlery, frequently missing their mouth, refusing to sit at the table, or jumping down after only a few minutes.
In this blog published last year, we take a brief look at three aspects that may be hampering a child’s eating skills. Learn more by reading the full blog here.
Also see:
Why some autistic people may have a 'beige diet' explained by expert
Autistic community benefitting from quiet dinners as sensory-friendly menus expand
Election delays universal free school meals funding decision in the UK
Sensory room for SEND children launched at church
New sensory room opens for patients in eye clinic at UK hospital
Resources
In this month’s blog, we’ve curated articles, guides, books and products to help better inform ourselves of how we can support children and adults with sensory differences who find certain food types, eating and mealtimes challenging, including:-
- The Picky Eater Cookbook
- Food Refusal and Avoidant Eating in Children
- Children's Divided Plate for Fussy Eaters
See our latest resources ideas here.
SI Research Digest
Easy-to-read summaries of all the latest SI research papers as well as key papers on our theme of Food, Eating and Sensory Issues. Click here to view the summaries of the research and access the direct links to the published papers, including:
- Association Between Sensory Reactivity and Feeding Problems in School-aged Children: Inpros Study
- Autistic Traits and Eating Behaviors in Chinese Preschoolers: Role of Sensory Profiles and Home Environment
- Exploring the Presence and Impact of Sensory Differences in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Upcoming Courses and Webinars
We have a number of live webinars that take place throughout the year covering a broad range of SI-related topics. Below is a snapshot of webinars happening over the next few months or click here to view a summary of all the upcoming live events.
All these webinars are available to you by signing up to our Lifelong Learning Programme or can be purchased as individual courses:
- Sensory Informed Practice in Eating Disorders - Live webinar on 18 July 2024
- How to use the Sensory Processing Observation Tool - Acquired Brain Injury (SPOT-ABI) to Assess Individuals with Limited Communication – Recorded webinar available 1 August 2024
- Sensory Spotlight Talk: Neurological Approaches to Treat Children with Complex Trauma, ASD, ADHD, & SPD – Live webinar on 7 August 2024
-
Let's Talk About How Sensory Changes Impact Behaviour in Older Adults Living with Dementia – Recorded Webinar Available to Access 2 - 9 September 2024 Only
Discounts & Special Offers
We've negotiated these exciting discounts for our SIE family!
Please quote DISCOUNT CODE SIE20 for 10% discount on Southpaw orders up to £100. Orders must be placed by phone on +44 (0) 115 718 0020.
Please quote DISCOUNT CODE SIE15 for 15% discount on sensooli.com (Excludes membership and advent boxes).
FREE delivery and set-up (worth up to £250, England and Wales only) on purchases of the omiVista+ and a FREE interactive ball games package worth up to £500. To access this special offer, mention you are an SIE Member when placing your order with OMI.
5% DISCOUNT on purchases of 3 items or more. Orders must be placed by phone and mention you are an SIE member to access this special offer when you are placing your order.
Please quote DISCOUNT CODE SIE2210 for 10% discount when ordering from the online Sensory Smart Store.
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Best wishes,
Sensory Integration Education
NB: Sensory Integration Education is not responsible for the content on external websites. Sharing a resource does not imply endorsement by Sensory Integration Education.
