Chewing?

[mack]

So I was looking at a website for sensory toys designed for autistic kids for something to help Kenz with her picking.

I saw things for kids that chew on their sleeves and hair.  Kenz does both. The description for the sleeve chewing things said "No more soggy sleeves." And I was like OMG this happens all the time to her clothes.

Is this a thing? I had no idea it was indicative of anything. 

[Life is interesting]

I'm not too clear on your question here. Is chewing indicative of a medical problem? Or does your child have a diagnosis?

Chewing, biting, sucking is sensory seeking behavior which many children with autism display but that behavior alone does not mean a child has autism.

Fwiw. My almost 3 year old chewed/. Sucked on his shirt constantly for a few month period when he was 19-21mo old. We used a chew "toy" every time he started to chew and he greatly disliked that and stopped the behavior after maybe a month of us using the chew toy. I forget what it was called, it was blue and had a little hook on the end and was straight. He neber started this again.

[mack]

Well duh I know that one thing doesn't mean she is autistic.

Yes, she has been identified as probably having Asperger's.

[leroybrown]

Tessa chews on her shirt sleeve, her knees (with or without pants on), and the neck of her shirt. The things I've read have mentioned it's a stim seeking behavior.

[mrsbuttinski]

It's probably a sensory seeking stim. Not uncommon among those with ASD and sensory issues. Like toe-walking this provides a powerful joint compression.

Best to redirect. They sell "Chewery" and pencil toppers that can be chewed instead. In a pinch, aquarium tubing is food safe and can be used.

[mack]

yeah, she chews, toe walks, sucks her thumb, and picks at her face.

[hopecounts]

With the help of DD's ABA team we used chewlery (a necklace) to address her chewing issue.
Basically redirected her to the necklace when she would chew, then gradually restricted access once she was only chewing the necklace.
She gets it during quiet time and long car rides now, mainly because it's hard to be 100% consistent with correcting her in those two situations. She seems to be doing it less during those times but for now we're all comfortable with where she is at.

[olivegoose]

I agree with mrsbuttinski. DD seeks oral input and she chews on her sleeve and collars all the time. If knly she didn't hate jewelry I would give her some sort of bracelet or necklace to wear.

[KC thepouchh8r]

Mar 2, 2015 13:26:30 GMT -5 olivegoose said:

I agree with mrsbuttinski. DD seeks oral input and she chews on her sleeve and collars all the time. If knly she didn't hate jewelry I would give her some sort of bracelet or necklace to wear.

Have you tied chewy tubes?

[leroybrown]

Tessa used to wear an amber necklace but I made her stop wearing it because I was afraid she'd break it and swallow a bead.

[olivegoose]

Mar 2, 2015 13:39:45 GMT -5 KC thepouchh8r said:

Mar 2, 2015 13:26:30 GMT -5 olivegoose said:

I agree with mrsbuttinski. DD seeks oral input and she chews on her sleeve and collars all the time. If knly she didn't hate jewelry I would give her some sort of bracelet or necklace to wear.

Have you tied chewy tubes?

I haven't tried that particular brand. I got her a T shaped chewy thing off Amazon and she looked at me like I was crazy.

[hopecounts]

Mar 2, 2015 13:55:54 GMT -5 olivegoose said:

Mar 2, 2015 13:39:45 GMT -5 KC thepouchh8r said:

Have you tied chewy tubes?

I haven't tried that particular brand. I got her a T shaped chewy thing off Amazon and she looked at me like I was crazy.

It may take a little work to get her to chew on it, we had to catch DD in the act of chewing and switch it fast, after maybe a week she got it and would chew on it. 
It took another few weeks to get her to chew only on the necklace.

[mack]

It seriously like, oh did you dip your sleeves in a sink full of water? Oh, nope that's saliva.

[mrsbuttinski]

Mar 2, 2015 12:58:30 GMT -5 mack said:

yeah, she chews, toe walks, sucks her thumb, and picks at her face.

I'm sorry.

It's hard. Toe-walking and chewing both create joint compressions. If you have a sensory seeker child who trands toward this as a stim, you can sometimes redirect it with the Willbarger Protocol aka "brushing technique". An OT can teach you the technique.

Thumb sucking is also sensory seeking behavior used to sooth ans settle. Picking can either be a self injurous behavior or almost an OCD thing. DS was a picker- loose wallpaper seams, loose mosaic tiles or cuticles- they're all good. 

In a lot of kids these behaviors ramp up under stress or while engaging in passive activities like watching DVDs. Keeping a log might help you plan redirection with her team. 

Stimming can be off putting to peers, so it;s best to control her indulgence in this.

[junebug060609]

Mar 2, 2015 14:42:28 GMT -5 mack said:

It seriously like, oh did you dip your sleeves in a sink full of water? Oh, nope that's saliva.

My son has done this.  With him, he does it if the shirt is a little big on him. If I put him in snug fitting long sleeves he won't do it. If I put him in a shirt a half size too big...sopping wet nasty sleeves.

[jmski]

For picking it might help to use a strip of Velcro (the scratchy side) and you rub something on it that makes fuzz in the Velcro like maybe the inside of a fuzzy sweatshirt. Kids who need to pick at something pick the fuzz balls out of the Velcro instead of picking their skin. I had success with this with a student.

[Life is interesting]

Mar 2, 2015 12:42:35 GMT -5 mack said:

Well duh I know that one thing doesn't mean she is autistic.

Yes, she has been identified as probably having Asperger's.

I was just nicely asking for clarification of your actual question since I didnt know your child's history since I'm new to this forum.  As I said above, the chewy toy helped us extongish this habit with my DS and we redirected it in aout 2 months. Someone said the name, "chewy tube."  Thats what we used.   Our ECI therapist brought us one.  Do you have ECI or a therapist you can ask?

I'm sorry this is frustrating for you.  It is difficult.  I also agree with mresbuttinski, this is a habit best redirected and eventually extinguished.  It is difficult in the beginning.

Asperger's is considered autism, the DSM took out Asperger for 2015.  Much debate about that though.  

[akafred]

Some more suggestions for joint compressions: Jumping on a trampoline or the couch, crawling, wheelbarrow walking, skipping, hopping on one foot, wall handstands, pushing against the wall as if to hold it up. One of the elements of brushing is alternating joint compressions and extensions. Extensions in the regular world is climbing and hanging.

Perhaps if you increase her sensory exposure to joint compressions and extensions (think sensory diet), she will have less need to chew sleeves or toe walk. Char used to toe walk but just getting a mini trampoline solved that problem for her. She is very oral still (totally the kid who eats paint because she wants to know what blue tastes like), but thankfully not as far as the sleeves go too much. Of course, her propensity to wear short sleeves year round helps a bit with that. She does sometimes chew her collar but it isn't extreme.

[hopecounts]

Mar 2, 2015 20:30:38 GMT -5 junebug060609 said:

Mar 2, 2015 14:42:28 GMT -5 mack said:

It seriously like, oh did you dip your sleeves in a sink full of water? Oh, nope that's saliva.

My son has done this.  With him, he does it if the shirt is a little big on him. If I put him in snug fitting long sleeves he won't do it. If I put him in a shirt a half size too big...sopping wet nasty sleeves.

The snug shirt is likely giving him the sensory input he needs, replacing the chewing.
We use fitted shirts on DD if we're going into a situation that will be challenging for her when possible.

[mcribster]

oh snug fitting shirt is a great idea. my DS goes in and out of this habit and winter coats are his main target. i kind of remember doing this too. we also looked at his minerals which were out of whack and he was kind of doing the pica thing. might want to make sure there are no mineral deficiencies.my son has a magnsium/zinc issue which we supplement with a special ASD vitamin

[mack]

Mar 2, 2015 21:34:57 GMT -5 Life is interesting said:

Mar 2, 2015 12:42:35 GMT -5 mack said:

Well duh I know that one thing doesn't mean she is autistic.

Yes, she has been identified as probably having Asperger's.

I was just nicely asking for clarification of your actual question since I didnt know your child's history since I'm new to this forum.  As I said above, the chewy toy helped us extongish this habit with my DS and we redirected it in aout 2 months. Someone said the name, "chewy tube."  Thats what we used.   Our ECI therapist brought us one.  Do you have ECI or a therapist you can ask?

I'm sorry this is frustrating for you.  It is difficult.  I also agree with mresbuttinski, this is a habit best redirected and eventually extinguished.  It is difficult in the beginning.

Asperger's is considered autism, the DSM took out Asperger for 2015.  Much debate about that though.  

I get that. I just didn't want you to think I was one of those idiots who comes on the SN board and is like "my kid has this one symptom, does this mean she has ASD?!?!" Similar to someone that comes on a pregnancy board and asks if they might be pregnant because they had sez two days ago.

[mamaturtle]

Mar 3, 2015 8:30:48 GMT -5 mcribster said:

oh snug fitting shirt is a great idea. my DS goes in and out of this habit and winter coats are his main target. i kind of remember doing this too. we also looked at his minerals which were out of whack and he was kind of doing the pica thing. might want to make sure there are no mineral deficiencies.my son has a magnsium/zinc issue which we supplement with a special ASD vitamin

ASD vitamin? Where can you get that vitamin?

[mcribster]

Mar 3, 2015 10:00:28 GMT -5 mamaturtle said:

Mar 3, 2015 8:30:48 GMT -5 mcribster said:

oh snug fitting shirt is a great idea. my DS goes in and out of this habit and winter coats are his main target. i kind of remember doing this too. we also looked at his minerals which were out of whack and he was kind of doing the pica thing. might want to make sure there are no mineral deficiencies.my son has a magnsium/zinc issue which we supplement with a special ASD vitamin

ASD vitamin? Where can you get that vitamin?

there are all sorts of vitamins that are targeted to ASD kids with nutritional deficiencies. We use this vitamin that has no Bs and no folic acid. When my kiddo has a B-vitamin he starts hand flapping immediately:
 www.leesilsby.com/asd-vitamin-mineral-supplements

[akafred]

Have you tried gum? Char's school allows it for her as it really makes a difference with concentration. Probably it would help the chewing impulse. Just beware red dyes lol.

[mack]

Mar 3, 2015 11:53:15 GMT -5 mcribster said:

Mar 3, 2015 10:00:28 GMT -5 mamaturtle said:

ASD vitamin? Where can you get that vitamin?

there are all sorts of vitamins that are targeted to ASD kids with nutritional deficiencies. We use this vitamin that has no Bs and no folic acid. When my kiddo has a B-vitamin he starts hand flapping immediately:
 www.leesilsby.com/asd-vitamin-mineral-supplements

Yeah because a lot of kids with ASD are magnesium deficient for example. That's why it's common to see ASD kids with pica.

[mamaturtle]

Mar 3, 2015 12:07:35 GMT -5 akafred said:

Have you tried gum? Char's school allows it for her as it really makes a difference with concentration. Probably it would help the chewing impulse. Just beware red dyes lol.

I like this idea!

How can I get DS to not swallow gum?

I have tried at least a handful of times and he has a couple of gum pieces in his stomach for 7 years.

[akafred]

Mar 3, 2015 14:18:37 GMT -5 mamaturtle said:

Mar 3, 2015 12:07:35 GMT -5 akafred said:

Have you tried gum? Char's school allows it for her as it really makes a difference with concentration. Probably it would help the chewing impulse. Just beware red dyes lol.

I like this idea!

How can I get DS to not swallow gum?

I have tried at least a handful of times and he has a couple of gum pieces in his stomach for 7 years.

Lol I don't know. Here's my confession: When Char was about 2, she was very interested in the gum/candy in the quarter machines at the movie theater. I told her they were gum and she was too little. At some point she started demanding to know how old she had to be to chew gum, and no answer was sufficient until I gave a hard and fast rule. 6. 6 years old was the rule.

Of course at some point she became actually old enough to be responsible (mostly) for gum, keeping it in her mouth, out of her hair, off the carpet, out of her stomach, etc, but wasn't 6 yet. At her 5th birthday I wrapped up a pack of gum and made a big deal out of how responsible she is and as long as she did those things, she could chew gum. Worked like a charm!

[mrsbuttinski]

Pica is more commonly associated with iron or zinc deficiency.

[Life is interesting]

Mar 3, 2015 15:39:03 GMT -5 mrsbuttinski said:

Pica is more commonly associated with iron or zinc deficiency.

This.

It's also not a good idea to give children mega doses of vitamins unless they have been tested by an actual medical provider and found to be deficient.

There is no "ASD" vitamin. Some alternative providers have a "wholistic" treatment that isn't tested and not approved.

[olivegoose]

What @mrsbuttinskin said. I had a severe iron deficiency when pregnant with DS and ate ice like crazy. Probably did some teeth damage.