The gustatory and olfactory systems during infancy: implications for development of feeding behaviors in the high-risk neonate.

This article reviews the development of the senses of taste and smell, which provide information on the flavor of foods, and discusses how innate predispositions interact with early-life feeding experiences to form children's dietary preferences and habits. A basic understanding of the development and functioning of the chemical senses during early childhood may assist in forming evidence-based strategies to improve children's diets, especially for those who experience a discontinuity or disruption in early flavor experiences.