What to Do for Kids With Sensitivity to Food Smells

Identify Triggers

• The smell -- not the taste -- may be the reason why your child resists eating certain foods. You can help make mealtime more pleasant for him by identifying what foods trigger his sensitivity to smells. Introduce new foods slowly into your child̵7;s diet. Don̵7;t be surprised if he smells a food before deciding whether to taste it. Continue to offer him that same food at meals, even if he refuses to try it at first. Desensitizing him to a food's smell can take time. Strong-smelling foods, like fish, eggs and some types of cheeses, are common culprits.

Give Your Child Control

• Put a small amount of a food your child avoids on a plate by itself. Place the plate near where your child is seated at the meal table. Although you want to encourage her to eat the food, let her know it̵7;s okay to leave it on the plate if she wants. Giving her some control may make her less resistant to eating certain foods. Let your child see you eat some of the same food. If she sees that you enjoy eating it, she may be more willing to taste it. Another strategy is to allow her to help prepare the food she eats. Even a toddler can help make simple foods, like sandwiches.

Pay Attention to Cooking Methods

• Other than not preparing foods with smells that upset your child, you can experiment with different cooking methods. For example, the aroma of fried foods can be strong, and the smell often lingers. You also may choose to cook foods that have strong odors when your child isn̵7;t at home or open windows or use ceiling fans when cooking. Consider that it could be the ingredients and not the food itself that is the problem. Use less seasoning, herbs and spices when preparing foods, as many have strong aromas that disturb a child̵7;s olfactory senses.

Tell Social Stories

• Use social stories as a tool for encouraging a child with ASD to try new foods. The smell of a food that isn̵7;t familiar can be enough to keep your child from eating it. Choose stories that talk about different food smells or the healthy benefits of eating a particular food. You may have better luck getting him to eat certain foods if you teach him about a food̵7;s characteristics beforehand. The UK̵7;s National Autism Society suggests using visual supports, including food charts with pictures, to give your child more information about the foods he avoids. If he knows what to expect in advance, a food's smell might not be as offensive.