“Gustatory” is not a word you hear every day. But the gustatory system is something you use day in and day out without even realizing it! If you’re drinking, eating, savoring, or experiencing flavors, you’re putting this complex system to good use.
Like any other system, your tasting mechanisms are susceptible to dysfunction. But with the proper support, people with gustatory issues can find relief and improve their everyday lives.
In a nutshell, the gustatory system is how you taste things. It’s part of your “chemical sensing system,” also called your “chemosensors.” While we reap the benefits of its functions all day long, the process of tasting is not something we give much thought to unless something goes wrong.
That’s because our gustatory system is so effective and efficient that we mostly take it for granted. When functioning correctly, we taste, identify sweet, salty, and sour sensations, and appreciate every moment of the process.
Like any part of the human body, the gustatory system can run into problems. But Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) can sometimes make it seem like a person has gustatory issues when really their experience is being affected by SPD.
For example, issues with the tactile system might make someone extremely particular about food texture. On the other hand, sensory-seeking individuals might seek out crunchy or crispy items that offer stimulation.
It can be challenging to know whether someone has gustatory dysfunction–especially if they have SPD. Below, we’ll break down some signs and symptoms that your child might be experiencing hypersensitivity (oral defensiveness) or hyposensitivity (under-registers) to oral input.
Hypersensitivity to oral input can also be thought of as over-responsiveness.
Signs and symptoms include: