UCD Perinatal Research Centre, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, The National Maternity Hospital, Dublin 2, Ireland.
School of Biological and Health Sciences, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Nutr J. 2024 Nov 1;23(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s12937-024-01040-1.
Oral sensory hypersensitivity has been linked with fussy eating predominantly in non-typically developing children. We hypothesized that child 'Oral' (touch, smell and taste in the mouth) and 'Social-Emotional' (response to social expectations) sensory processing are associated with child appetitive traits in typically developing preteen children. Additionally, we explored relationships between maternal sensory profiles and their offspring's sensory profile.
This is secondary analysis of 130 mother-child dyads from the 9-11-year-old follow-up of the ROLO longitudinal birth cohort study. The Dunn Sensory Profile (Adolescent/Adult) and the Dunn Child Sensory Profile 2 were used to assess maternal and child sensory profiles, respectively. The Children's Eating Behaviour Questionnaire was used to assess child appetitive traits. Multiple linear regression examined associations between 'Oral' and 'Social-Emotional' segments of the child sensory profile and child appetitive traits. Associations between maternal and child sensory profiles were examined using sensory profile quadrants (Dunn's sensory processing framework). These refer to four distinct patterns of sensory processing that indicate how an individual responds to sensory input.
In total, 130 mother-child dyads were included. In adjusted analysis child 'Oral' sensory processing was associated with higher mean scores in the appetitive traits 'Desire to Drink' (B = 0.044, 95% CI = 0.025,0.062) and 'Food Fussiness' (B = 0.080, 95% CI = 0.059,0.101) and with lower mean scores in 'Enjoyment of Food' (B=-0.038, 95% CI -0.055,-0.022). Child 'Social-Emotional' responses were associated with higher mean scores in 'Desire to Drink' and 'Food Fussiness'. Higher scores in the maternal sensory profile quadrants of 'Sensitivity', 'Avoiding' and 'Registration' were positively associated with higher scores in the corresponding child sensory profile quadrants.
Our findings suggest that in typically developing children presenting with fussy eating, oral sensory hypersensitivity and higher scores in social-emotional responses to sensory processing may be an underlying determinant. The relationship observed between 'Oral' and 'Social-Emotional' sensory processing segments and 'Desire to Drink' requires further research to ascertain the type of drinks being consumed and how this impacts appetite. Further research is also required to explore the influence of maternal sensory profile on their offsprings response to sensory input.
口腔感觉过敏与挑剔饮食主要在非典型发育儿童中相关。我们假设儿童的“口腔”（口腔内的触觉、嗅觉和味觉）和“社会情感”（对社会期望的反应）感觉处理与典型发育的青少年儿童的食欲特征有关。此外，我们还探讨了母亲感觉特征与其子女感觉特征之间的关系。
这是 ROLO 纵向出生队列研究 9-11 岁随访中 130 对母子对的二次分析。使用邓恩感觉量表（青少年/成人）和邓恩儿童感觉量表 2 分别评估母亲和儿童的感觉特征。使用儿童饮食行为问卷评估儿童的食欲特征。多元线性回归分析儿童感觉特征的“口腔”和“社会情感”部分与儿童食欲特征之间的关系。使用感觉特征象限（邓恩感觉处理框架）检查母亲和儿童感觉特征之间的关系。这些指的是个体对感觉输入的反应的四种不同的感觉处理模式。
共纳入 130 对母子对。在调整分析中，儿童的“口腔”感觉处理与更高的“渴望饮水”（B=0.044，95%置信区间=0.025，0.062）和“食物挑剔”（B=0.080，95%置信区间=0.059，0.101）的食欲特征平均得分相关，与“享受食物”（B=-0.038，95%置信区间=-0.055，-0.022）的平均得分较低相关。儿童的“社会情感”反应与更高的“渴望饮水”和“食物挑剔”得分相关。母亲感觉特征象限中“敏感”、“回避”和“登记”的得分越高，与儿童相应的感觉特征象限的得分越高呈正相关。
我们的研究结果表明，在典型发育的挑剔饮食儿童中，口腔感觉过敏和更高的社会情感感觉处理反应可能是潜在的决定因素。“口腔”和“社会情感”感觉处理部分与“渴望饮水”之间观察到的关系需要进一步研究，以确定所消耗的饮料类型以及这如何影响食欲。还需要进一步研究来探索母亲感觉特征对其子女对感觉输入的反应的影响。
