toddler likes intense flavors, smells

Is this normal? DS (2.25) LOVES intense flavors - lemons, pickles,
curry sauce, Ranch dip (this he would eat by the spoonful if I let
him), garlic, onions, etc. Is he likely to continue to like intense
flavors as he grows older? He also smells *everything*. He will ask
what something is and then ask if it is "smelly?" and then he smells
it. (He is pretty verbal.) He also likes to take things and rub them
on his face to feel them - he does this with many things he encounters,
and has done this ever since he was a tiny baby. Do I have a
particularly sensory-focused kid or something? He is also very
compassionate and will comfort others if crying, and will try to "help"
when he sees someone in need. In all of these ways he is different
from all of his peers. I am just wondering if these behaviors are
indicative of anything, or if I should keep my eye on anything else.

TIA for any insight.
-L.

Don't know if it's likely to continue but he does sound like he is
definitely sensory-oriented.

My sister's eldest used to love these "strong tastes" as well. She could eat
pickles by the jar-full and would ask for a piece of lemon, then suck on it.
She seems to have grown out of it, though. She's 6 now. Still likes pickles,
but that's cultural for us, being East European, so she gets them anyway.
The lemon sucking has gone away, though.

I used to love touching things, even as a teen. I didn't go so far as to rub
them on my face, but I LOVED walking through fabric shops and letting the
various textures flow over the bare skin on my arms. Nothing sexual, just
liked the feel of it. I also like experiencing new tastes and unless
something repulses me from a personal point of view (I will not eat brains,
for example) I am likely to try it. Don't know if I was ever into sucking
lemons, but I like pickles, horseradish, mustard, etc.

So maybe he'll just be culinarily adventurous?

"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...
Is this normal? DS (2.25) LOVES intense flavors - lemons, pickles,
curry sauce, Ranch dip (this he would eat by the spoonful if I let
him), garlic, onions, etc. Is he likely to continue to like intense
flavors as he grows older? He also smells *everything*. He will ask
what something is and then ask if it is "smelly?" and then he smells
it. (He is pretty verbal.) He also likes to take things and rub them
on his face to feel them - he does this with many things he encounters,
and has done this ever since he was a tiny baby. Do I have a
particularly sensory-focused kid or something? He is also very
compassionate and will comfort others if crying, and will try to "help"
when he sees someone in need. In all of these ways he is different
from all of his peers. I am just wondering if these behaviors are
indicative of anything, or if I should keep my eye on anything else.

TIA for any insight.
-L.

Engram wrote:
Don't know if it's likely to continue but he does sound like he is
definitely sensory-oriented.

My sister's eldest used to love these "strong tastes" as well. She could eat
pickles by the jar-full and would ask for a piece of lemon, then suck on it.
She seems to have grown out of it, though. She's 6 now. Still likes pickles,
but that's cultural for us, being East European, so she gets them anyway.
The lemon sucking has gone away, though.

I used to love touching things, even as a teen. I didn't go so far as to rub
them on my face, but I LOVED walking through fabric shops and letting the
various textures flow over the bare skin on my arms. Nothing sexual, just
liked the feel of it. I also like experiencing new tastes and unless
something repulses me from a personal point of view (I will not eat brains,
for example) I am likely to try it. Don't know if I was ever into sucking
lemons, but I like pickles, horseradish, mustard, etc.

So maybe he'll just be culinarily adventurous?

I hope so. He will eat almost anything now.

I was (and am) the same way - love lemons and pickles, etc. DS also
does the fabric thing when we shop - I have to fight him not to touch
and taste clothing. He's adopted so I don't think he gets the
flavor/smell loving from me, but his BMom is in culinary school, so
maybe it *is* innate/genetic.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Engram wrote:

So maybe he'll just be culinarily adventurous?

I hope so. He will eat almost anything now.

Don't bet the farm. Some kids like this
continue being adventurous, but others will pull
back and become much less adventurous. In my
experience, it is quite common for 2yos to be
quite adventurous eaters. My firstborn would eat
all kinds of unusual things as a 2yo and is quite
picky as an 11yo. Palates change as they grow.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"Ericka Kammerer" wrote in message
...
-L. wrote:
Engram wrote:

So maybe he'll just be culinarily adventurous?

I hope so. He will eat almost anything now.

Don't bet the farm. Some kids like this
continue being adventurous, but others will pull
back and become much less adventurous.


That is the case with both my kids.


In my
experience, it is quite common for 2yos to be
quite adventurous eaters. My firstborn would eat
all kinds of unusual things as a 2yo and is quite
picky as an 11yo. Palates change as they grow.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...
Is this normal? DS (2.25) LOVES intense flavors - lemons, pickles,
curry sauce, Ranch dip (this he would eat by the spoonful if I let
him), garlic, onions, etc. Is he likely to continue to like intense
flavors as he grows older? He also smells *everything*. He will ask
what something is and then ask if it is "smelly?" and then he smells
it. (He is pretty verbal.) He also likes to take things and rub them
on his face to feel them - he does this with many things he encounters,
and has done this ever since he was a tiny baby. Do I have a
particularly sensory-focused kid or something? He is also very
compassionate and will comfort others if crying, and will try to "help"
when he sees someone in need. In all of these ways he is different
from all of his peers. I am just wondering if these behaviors are
indicative of anything, or if I should keep my eye on anything else.

TIA for any insight.
-L.

#2 smells everything too. she'll then label the smell as "yucky" "delicious"
"gorgeous" or similar. She has eaten a lemon (as #1 did) We had lemon with
fish and she picked one up and sucked it. Pulled a dreadful face, shivered,
and came back for more. Made us laugh anyway. We don't tend to go for strong
flavours in our house, but she does like onions (raw or cooked). I don't
think it's indicative of anything except possibly likeing strong flavours!!!
Debbie

-L. wrote:
Is this normal? DS (2.25) LOVES intense flavors - lemons, pickles,
curry sauce, Ranch dip (this he would eat by the spoonful if I let
him), garlic, onions, etc. Is he likely to continue to like intense
flavors as he grows older? He also smells *everything*. He will ask
what something is and then ask if it is "smelly?" and then he smells
it. (He is pretty verbal.) He also likes to take things and rub them
on his face to feel them - he does this with many things he encounters,
and has done this ever since he was a tiny baby. Do I have a
particularly sensory-focused kid or something? He is also very
compassionate and will comfort others if crying, and will try to "help"
when he sees someone in need. In all of these ways he is different
from all of his peers. I am just wondering if these behaviors are
indicative of anything, or if I should keep my eye on anything else.

I don't know why you would see this as abnormal.
In my experience, this is quite common. Maybe it's just
the group of peers that is out of the ordinary?

Best wishes,
Ericka

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

I don't know why you would see this as abnormal.

I didn't really see it as "abnormal" but just a little "different". I
just didn't know if other kids do this or not.

In my experience, this is quite common. Maybe it's just
the group of peers that is out of the ordinary?

Perhaps. The other Moms comment on how their kids would never eat "X"
or "y" and comment on how he seems to be fascinated with smells and
textures. He also is obsessive about the lemons and pickles thing -
will cry for lemon slices and would eat an entire lemon if I'd let him.

-L.

-L. wrote:
Ericka Kammerer wrote:
I don't know why you would see this as abnormal.

I didn't really see it as "abnormal" but just a little "different". I
just didn't know if other kids do this or not.

In my experience, this is quite common. Maybe it's just
the group of peers that is out of the ordinary?

Perhaps. The other Moms comment on how their kids would never eat "X"
or "y" and comment on how he seems to be fascinated with smells and
textures. He also is obsessive about the lemons and pickles thing -
will cry for lemon slices and would eat an entire lemon if I'd let him.

All of my toddlers have eaten lemons. It seems
to be a stage they go through. Later on, some continue
to like strong flavors and others don't, so I don't think
it's some sort of pre-programming to like strong flavors.
I think a lot of parents say "my kid would *never* eat X"
just because they never give the child X because they
assume the child won't like X. How many people assume
a toddler would like a slice of lemon? After a certain
point, many *will* dislike it, but there seems to be
a window around 2yo when many (not all, but many) toddlers
are pretty adventurous, even if you later find them on
the "white food only" diet.

Best wishes,
Ericka

"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...

Ericka Kammerer wrote:

I don't know why you would see this as abnormal.

I didn't really see it as "abnormal" but just a little "different". I
just didn't know if other kids do this or not.

In my experience, this is quite common. Maybe it's just
the group of peers that is out of the ordinary?

Perhaps. The other Moms comment on how their kids would never eat "X"
or "y" and comment on how he seems to be fascinated with smells and
textures. He also is obsessive about the lemons and pickles thing -
will cry for lemon slices and would eat an entire lemon if I'd let him.

he sounds to me like a mixture of perfectly normal & perhaps a bit unusual.
ime many little kids go through strong-taste fads at about this age, & later
it drops back somewhat. food dislikes happen too - everyone has things they
just don't like, & in my house people don't have to eat stuff they can't
stand. it's sad if people assume kids only like bland or sweet things
though - ime kids eat whatever they're given (mostly) & at most points will
try new things quite happily, so it doesn't make sense to give kids bland
diets on principle.

a lot of people are also attracted to feeling or smelling things (i'm a
feeler & have been all my life, i was unstoppable when i was tiny!) so that
is ok too. my little neighbour who is 5 now is really into horrible strong
smells like furniture stain, etc. she says she likes anything that's
"smelly" & afaik she's absolutely normal. i think any excessively
"obsessive"-seeming elements need to be considered though - unless by
obsessive you just mean he gets into total fads with things, which is also
perfectly normal for the age.
kylie