Picky Eating & Oral Tools

For some kids, picky eating has less to do with stubbornness and more to do with how textures feel in the mouth. Small, low-pressure steps outside of mealtime can make new textures feel less scary. Read our OT's guide to picky eating.

Where to start

• Gags on or refuses new textures: the Texture-Graded Oral Toolkit, which steps through 7 texture levels
• Chews shirts, sleeves or pencils: the Texture-Graded Oral Tool
• Tense at the table: the play kitchen, for food play with no pressure to eat

If your child is losing weight, choking, or eating very few foods, talk with your pediatrician and a feeding therapist first. Not sure which one fits your child? Book a free 15-minute call with our OT.