Neurologically based
Interventions for
Eating and Feeding
Dysfunctions, Picky
Eating Syndrome,
Sensory Integration
Disorder, and other
Processing Disorders
By Abigail
Natenshon, MA, LCSW,
GCFP
The era of the brain
The early
twenty-first century
has clearly been the
"era of the brain,"
as the past 15 years
of genetic research
and development of
new forms of brain
research and imaging
(PET scans) have
given rise to the
emerging and
ever-transforming
science of
neurobiology. The
notion that the
brain is hard-wired
and unchanging with
an inborn maximal
potential to learn
has become obsolete
with the emerging
reality of the
brain's limitless
capacity to learn,
grow, and change. "Neuro-plasticity,"
the ability of the
brain to reorganize
itself through
rewiring neuro-pathways
throughout the human
life span, is most
dynamic in the early
months of infancy
and years of
childhood when the
brain is most
malleable and
fertile.
Picky
eating syndrome or
selective eating
Clearly, some forms
of eating reluctance
are the result of
simple food
preferences; others
result from physical
discomfort, caused
by hormonal or
gastroenterological
problems that
require diagnosis by
a physician. In the
case of eating
anomalies such as
picky eating
syndrome which
typically remain
undiagnosed and
persistent,
dysfunctional eaters
are all too
frequently evaluated
and determined to be
"healthy" as the
result of no
physical
abnormalities,
normal blood tests
and normal placement
on growth charts.
When parents
are advised to
ignore the problem
because the child
“will grow out of
it," it is time for
parents to seek a
diagnosis and
professional help
elsewhere. The brain
and neuroscience
offer a new frontier
for healing such
integrative
problems; our
children are poised
to take advantage of
these innovative
opportunities.
Feeding
problems have
origins in
neurobiology
Premature
infants who start
out life in an
incubator and/or
with a feeding tube
may develop
feeding disorders,
an aversion to
certain sensations
in the mouth and a
potential for
problem with
sucking. Children
who are selective or
" picky" eaters
typically suffer
from sensory
integration disorder,
a neurological
condition marked by
difficulty
tolerating the feel
of different
textures in the
mouth or on the
skin, bright lights,
loud noises,
responding to
certain smells and
tastes through
gagging. That SID
problems are often
food related and
genetically and
biologically based
is demonstrated in a
scientific study
revealing that
people with
variations of a
specific tasting
gene become
“sensitive tasters,”
and report
vegetables taking on
an intolerable
metallic taste.
Sensory integration
disorders may at
times be linked to
autism spectrum
problems, resulting
in learning and
social limitations
in some cases, as
well as in poor
self-esteem from the
belief that one's
differences from
others make them
"crazy" or somehow
"damaged." In
addition,
individuals who
suffer from
food neo-phobia
typically experience
a limited capacity
to tolerate newness
in other life
spheres as
well….beyond food.
Without early and
effective
intervention, they
do not grow out of
any of it.
The role
of parents
What does neuronal
processing have to
do with
dysfunctional
eating? A great
deal. By recognizing
that the cause of
picky eating
syndrome and food
neo-phobia lies in
biology
("nature"), and
that these genetic
and biochemical
problems are
typically
predetermined at the
moment of
conception, parents
can stop
flagellating
themselves for their
belief that they are
somehow to blame for
causing feeding
dysfunctions in
their children.
Parents need to let
go of their guilt in
taking
responsibility for
creating problems
that may have
occurred at birth;
for feeding their
child "unhealthfully;"
for failing to find
effective
professional care;
and for their own
sense of
helplessness and
despondency in not
knowing how to
understand, diagnose
and handle their
child and these
problems.
Ironically, without
proper coaching and
assistance, even the
best-intentioned
parents and loved
ones may ultimately
and inadvertently
reinforce unhealthy
behaviors around
meal times,
("nurture")
rather than minimize
them. Parents need
professionals’
assistance with
these many-faceted
problems,
emotionally,
cognitively and
behaviorally, in
their efforts to
affect change.
Innovative
approaches to
stimulating neuro-plastic
brain changes
The development of
intelligence has
been defined as a
combination of
sensory integration
and life experience,
with genetics a less
defining factor. The
brain is a dynamic
learning machine and
there are many ways
to encourage the
function of new
learning. Research
has shown that
various parts and
functions of the
brain can be
enlisted to
facilitate change,
and enhance the
functioning of,
other parts of the
brain.
Therapies
directly impacting
the brain and
neurological
function (beyond
more traditional
speech and
occupational
therapies) can be
instrumental in
reorganizing and/or
creating new neuro-pathways
to take the place of
damaged,
non-existing or
dysfunctional ones.
Dr. Moshe
Feldenkrais
understood that the
brain learns through
movement, declaring
that "movement is
the language of the
brain." According to
Dr. Norman Doidge,
practicing new
behaviors represents
electrical/chemical
movement along the
brain's neuro-pathways
which he calls
"learning from the
outside in;"
learning that comes
from changes in
cognitions, thoughts
and feelings
represent "learning
from the inside
out." Increasingly,
specialized
interventions
representing
different "outside
in" forms of
learning are
becoming invaluable
resources, yet to be
tapped, for
remediating such
problems in this era
of the brain.
Because mind and
body function
integrally, newly
developing
bodily-based
interventions, such
as the
FeldenkraisMethod©,
the Anat Baniel
Method© , sensory
perception
diagnostics and
treatment, kinetic
bridging,
cranial-sacral and
other forms of
energy work, can
offer profound and
lasting effects on
neurological
organization,
particularly during
infancy. These
techniques, along
with other novel
approaches and
techniques
appropriate to older
children, such as
cognitive
restructuring
assessment and
treatment, in
conjunction with
more traditional
forms of speech and
occupational
therapy, can have
ameliorative effects
on brain functioning
that will serve as
an investment in the
child's future and
throughout life.
Case Study
The young man in
question was
entering teenage. As
an allergic child
and a picky eater,
he displayed diverse
symptoms of sensory
integration disorder
throughout his life.
As a young boy, he
had problems
tolerating haircuts,
tags against his
skin, etc. As a
child in school, he
displayed perceptual
processing problems
that showed
themselves in his
dislike for reading,
difficulty with
reading
comprehension, his
procrastination in
doing his homework,
and difficulty
making eye contact.
The youngster was
loved by his
teachers for his
kindness and
commitment to
learning and
achievement.
His bright and
capable parents did
everything in their
power to facilitate
their son's normal
growth and
development
throughout his
childhood, providing
help through speech
therapy,
occupational
therapy, academic
tutors, consults
with doctors,
psychotherapist,
teachers, etc, all
of which were
helpful, though did
not eradicate or
significantly change
the problems at
their source through
neurologically-based
approaches.
At any age, a person
can benefit from
seeking additional
sources for help
that would access
brain
biochemistries,
structure, and
function,
reorganizing the
central nervous
system through
integrative
neurobiological
changes that are
more directly
related to the
origin of the
problems. It appears
that this young
man’s eating
problems are
directly connected
to sensory problems,
which are directly
connected to
perceptual problems,
which are directly
connected to reading
and comprehension
problems. Might his
problems have
originated in a
problematic birthing
process, or possibly
in genetic meshing,
or in utero through
the formation of the
neuro-pathways which
affect the function
of processing? These
questions will
remain unanswered;
however, discovering
the origins of his
problems are less
significant than
discovering
innovative ways to
remediate them.
Finding the
health care you need
for your child
As a professional
integrationist…as
the parent of a
child with special
needs, as a
psychotherapist with
an expertise in the
specialty in the
treatment of eating
disorders and
dysfunctions, and as
a Guild Certified
Feldenkrais
Practitioner with a
Masters level
training in work
with children
(through the Anat
Baniel Method based
on the work of Moshe
Feldenkrais,)
I am uniquely
prepared to offer
guidance through
consultation to
parent or
professional in
search of
appropriate and
specialized care for
children who would
benefit from
non-traditional
neurological
interventions.
The services I offer
include assessing
the needs of the
eating dysfunctional
child, and referrals
to somatic
practitioners,
including those who
specialize in
resources such as
the Feldenkrais
Method and Anat
Baniel Method,
cranial sacral work,
and perceptual and
sensory integration
work that impact the
structure and
functioning of the
brain, optimizing
one's capacity to
learn and to change.
All of the above
mentioned
integrative
techniques have
direct effects on
the afflicted
individual's
self-esteem and
behavioral
functioning within
the self, and family
and social systems.
Abigail H. Natenshon
may be contacted
through
www.empoweredparents.com
www.empoweredkidz.com
www.treatingeatingdisorders.com
And soon, through
www.AbigailNatenshon.com
Reading
References;
Baniel, A. (2009)
Move into Life: Nine
Essentials for
Lifelong Vitality
Harmony Books
Doidge, N. (2007).
The brain that
changes itself:
Stories of personal
triumph from the
frontiers of brain
science. New
York: Viking.
Feldenkrais, M.
(1972) Awareness
Through Movement
Harper and Row, New
York
Fraker,
C., Walbert, L.,
Cox, S., Fishbein,
M., & Barker, S. C.
(2007). Food
chaining: The proven
6-step plan to stop
picky eating, solve
feeding problems,
and expand your
child's diet.
New York: Marlow and
Co.
Markus,
Markus and Taylor
(2003) Retrain
Your Business Brain:
Outsmart the
Corporate
Competition
Dearborn Trade
Natenshon, A.
(2009) Doing What
Works: An
Integrative System
for the Treatment of
Eating Disorders
from Diagnosis to
Recovery;
Washington, D.C.
NASW Press
Natenshon, A. (1999)
When Your Child
Has an Eating
Disorder: A
Step-by-Step
Workbook for Parents
and Other Caregivers;
California, Jossey-Bass
