South Africa psychologists: understand picky eating through sensory and emotional regulation. Explore intervention strategies for children in these CPD courses.
The final course in the four-part Sensory and Emotional Regulation series helps South African psychologists understand picky eating through a regulation lens. Occupational therapist Maude Le Roux moves beyond seeing picky eating as defiance or a feeding disorder, exploring how sensory processing and regulation challenges can underpin mealtime struggles. Drawing on developmental theory, sensory integration principles and clinical experience, she offers a framework for the internal experiences that drive selective eating, along with practical intervention strategies. The course is accredited by the HPCSA for CPD points and draws together insights from the whole series for psychologists, occupational therapists, educators and parents.
In the final session of this four-part series, internationally acclaimed occupational therapist Maude Le Roux addresses the often-misunderstood behaviour of picky eating through the lens of sensory and emotional regulation. Rather than viewing picky eating solely as behavioural defiance or feeding disorder, this talk explores how regulation and sensory processing challenges can underpin mealtime struggles in children.
Drawing from developmental theory, sensory integration principles, and practical clinical experience, Maude provides a framework to understand the internal experiences that drive picky eating. She also offers tangible intervention strategies to support children in developing more regulated and flexible feeding behaviours—guidance that is invaluable for psychologists, OTs, educators, and parents alike.
This session synthesises insights from the full series and reinforces a regulation-based approach to behaviour, empowering professionals to move beyond surface-level symptom management.
This is the fourth talk in a four-part series
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Describe how sensory modulation and emotional regulation impact picky eating behaviour.
Recognise picky eating as a regulation-based response rather than a fixed trait or disorder.
Identify at least five core principles of intervention to support children with selective eating patterns.
Apply regulation-informed strategies to create more supportive and successful mealtime routines.
Reflect on the therapeutic role of co-regulation and family dynamics in supporting feeding development.