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Hi
Ok, I know this is WAY off topic - but does anyone else have a chewer? He chews two things, his lovey, and water bottles. So luckily no shirt issues or other odd objects - but the water bottle thing is driving me nuts how fast we have to replace them. And it's like he is eating plastic! We thought we have solved the problem with the camelback bite valves because you can just replace them, but we are talking every two weeks! He takes one to school but I am hesitant to send him with one that doesn't have a spill proof spout.

Anyone have any better suggestions?

DeHe

Hi, DeHe--

Elder DS used to be a big chewer.

I'd probably give up the spout and move him to a metal water bottle, but then be prepared for the behavior to emerge another way, whack-a-mole style.

Some people feel that increasing sensory input in other ways helps (joint compressions, trampoline, chewing gum, etc.).

You might ask him why he does it-- doubtful at his age that he'd have insight as to why, but you never know...

DeeDee

Tried that - sometimes it's the teeth - it seems to ratchet up when a tooth is starting to move in or out. It seems mostly to be absent minded while doing something else,or like it helps him concentrate. His answer is always the same, I don't know, sorry.

I was hoping there was another solution than the metal ones - absent minded drinking with an open bottle sounds like a recipe for disaster! Gum might be an idea although since his dinner table behavior sometimes resembles a cow with cud I am a little apprehensive about adding gum!!

Thanks,
DeHe

We used gum with care, in a regulated way-- if we thought he could use a bit of calming we'd give him some, let him chew for 5 min, and spit it out. We were never thrilled with our DS's manners at that age either...nor his reliability in putting it into the trash unsupervised.

DeeDee

Google OT supplies. There are safe chewing tube like thingsyou might try. I also used gum we walked to school and he chewed gum and spit it back into the wrapper when we got there and I threw it away. And then other short periods if time in the afternoon. Also an electric toothbrush was a good thing at this time. If he was chewing his shirt I sent him to brush his teeth and I think the vibration gave him the sensory stuff he needed. He did out grow it.

I'm so glad you asked this question DeHe. I was going to post something about chewing today, too.

I've been doing some research on "chewelry" and was hoping someone here would have some feedback on how it works for their child. My son chews his shirt, blankets, pillows, and the silicone-type straws on water bottles. He also has some tics, like turning around while walking, humming a specific five note sequence, flicking his fingers, etc. His doctors do not seem worried at this point, but I'd like to at least get him chewing on something other than his clothes while he's at school.

My feeling would be that redirecting to other sensory activities ("go have a drink at the water fountain, then come back" or "here, have some gum") is better at school than chewelry (which seems to me almost as stigmatizing as having an icky shirt, and yes BTDT).

The only chewy toy I'd find marginally OK with teacher approval would be the pencil topper... even then, kind of disruptive...

DeeDee

This time last year, my DS had icky chewed shirts more days than not, and my DD, going into K, was picking up the habit from him. I got each of them a chewy pendant and insisted they wear it to school; after a while the habit seemed to die down (I don't really credit the chew toy, but a better school year and some maturation). Now, I dig the necklaces out once in a while if we're watching a suspenseful movie (this seems to be about the only time now that they revert to chewing). Googling the keywords chewy mom bling should get you to the thing, if you're interested. They're not ugly

We can't do gum (orthodontics).

Pencil topper would also be my suggestion.

DD went through a gum phase and I think it was helpful. She did not chew at school--not allowed.

If it helps, both my kids have been chewers at times and both seem to have outgrown it. DD took longer than DS.

I sure wish they'd had those chewy toys when I was a kid, but my mom would never have gotten me one! I used to chew on my shirts, necklace, hair, pencils, and the ever-present gum that I fell asleep with and ended up with in my hair so many times! Well, on the other hand, maybe my mom WOULD have gotten me one, after the umpteenth time of having to use ice or peanut butter to get gum out of my hair....

I don't see anywhere near as much of it in my kids, though.