Being the parent of a sensory child can be daunting at times. You work tirelessly to figure out the best ways to approach everyday situations, hoping to limit your child’s exposure to stress. And often—at least for me—it can feel like you’re doing everything wrong.
But today, I’m happy to share that we’ve been on a more positive streak with my sensory child, and it feels worth celebrating our wins:
Sensory Challenges and Wins
Most of our challenges are centered around my son’s sensory processing when it comes to food, though there are other areas we navigate, too. In addition to our weekly occupational therapy sessions with a wonderful therapist, I’ve learned to meet my son where he is—to create an environment that feels safe enough for him to try new things.
Since becoming a mom, one of my biggest goals has been to share what works for us, in the hope that someone else struggling might find something to adapt for their own family. Especially now, in the age of endless online information, it helps to hear from someone who’s in it too.
A Non-Food Victory: Swimming!
Our biggest recent non-food win? My big guy is swimming on his own.
After four years of very expensive private swim lessons with little progress, we finally cracked the code—with snorkel goggles.
So why snorkel goggles? It turns out my son didn’t like the sensation of water going up his nose. He couldn’t quite figure out how to breathe properly underwater. The goggles covered his nose, solved that issue, and within three weeks—yes, just three he went from barely touching the water to floating, swimming, and even jumping off docks (in a life vest!) at our town’s pond.
And yes, I’m that mom—crying happy tears as I watch my son conquer a mountain. He’s having the summer of his life now that he can swim underwater, and he’s even moved up a level in his lessons.
Making Strides with Food
On the food front, we’re in a big “trying” phase. And that alone feels huge. Here are a few strategies I credit for this recent progress:
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Grocery Shopping Together
We’ve started having weekly grocery shopping “dates” at Stop & Shop, thanks to their “Scan It” feature. My son loves having a job—he’s our official “scan man.” This gives him the chance to handle all types of food, not just his preferred ones. Before this, he would avoid unfamiliar foods like the plague. Now, he’s touching, scanning, and even asking questions about them.
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Changing Our Therapy Approach
We shifted from simply bringing foods we wanted him to try to introducing playful, themed food sessions. I’m so thankful for our therapist, who helps us make food exploration fun. We’ve gone from very low success rates to actual bites taken and more food reaching his mouth. We’ve done:
- A breakfast theme with French toast
- A stacking theme with crackers and cheese
- A salami sandwich challenge—bringing together foods he likes separately, but hadn’t tried combined.
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Cookout Surprises
It’s cookout season, and many menus are filled with staples like burgers and hot dogs—neither of which is his favorite. At one recent event, I accidentally forgot to pack his safe foods. In the past, this would’ve triggered a lot of anxiety. But this time, I stayed calm and tried offering similar alternatives—like sausages.
To my surprise, he picked up a hot dog. While he didn’t eat it, he did eat the bun, even with some of the hot dog “essence” on it. That, to me, is progress.
The Takeaway: There Is Light
If you’re parenting a sensory eater or a child with sensory needs, please know—there is light at the end of the tunnel. I don’t know how long this current phase will last, or if we’ll face food regressions again. But right now, I’m soaking up every joyful moment watching my big guy explore the world in ways that feel safe for his body.
What’s working for us might not work for you—but if you’re stuck in a rut, maybe something here can be adapted for your journey. These wins didn’t happen overnight. We’ve been working on this for over two years. And for the first time, we’re seeing truly meaningful progress.
To all the other parents of sensitive eaters: keep going. You’re doing great.
