Comfort and safety are the most important aspects of the mealtime. When children feel safe and comfortable, they are more willing to risk and participate in new experiences. Feelings of comfort and safety are based upon adequate sensory processing and gastrointestinal comfort. When these two areas are not functioning efficiently, children will spend more energy protecting themselves than learning about new foods. Mealtime programs that are successful incorporate overall strategies to improve sensory processing and integration and reduce gastrointestinal reflux and discomfort.
Adequate nutrition comes from eating a wide variety of foods.
Mealtime programs that place a stronger focus on expanding dietary choices than on increasing dietary amount will have greater long-range success. This includes movement through space or vestibular input. Slow swinging, for example, can be used as a transition between more active activities, prior to mealtimes or activities like tooth brushing to help prevent sensory defensiveness and overload, and as a quiet, organizing activity when a child is listening to a story or receiving a tube feeding. Jumping and bouncing also provide vestibular input. In addition, they provide the sensory input into the joints that is called proprioceptive stimulation.