9.75 year old chews everything!

[dunbarfamily]

Hi everyone,

You are all so welcoming and helpful here. I've posted a few times in the past, but mostly, I just "lurk" here.

I'm coming out to ask for help. Our oldest will be 10 in January. He's a good boy, smart and eager to please. He was diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago, displays anxiety and irrational fears and after therapy, he has been taking medication for about 15 months now.

Our problem is he is chewing on EVERYTHING. Literally. Fingernails, toenails, pieces of toys, things he finds on the floor, paper, plastic, even the wood on his bed. He sleeps on the top bunk and I'd say he's chewed away about 25% of the guardrail. Seriously. He has been doing this for at least 4-5 years.

We are at our wit's ends. We've talked to the doctor multiple times and we are told they don't know what causes it, but some kids do it and others don't. The counselor doesn't provide much more insight. I've googled, "kids who chew", but I keep finding that people give their children a baby teether. That seems dumb to give a nearly 10 year old a product designed for a four month old.

WHAT is causing this and HOW can we get him to stop? Its so frustrating for us to see him chewing EVERYTHING, and its rather disgusting. He'll chew up his bed so much his saliva will drip down to his little brother's bed below. I think this is probably something he can't control, but it doesn't eliminate the frustration.

WHAT do I do? Please don't judge me. We already feel bad for getting after him. I just don't know what to do. Ugh. Bribing him, threatening him, rewarding him does not work, lending more support to my idea that he can't control it.

 

[SoonerSarah]

Here is a chew bracelet
http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therap...Path=15_1088&products_id=2324&sort=20a&page=1

And here is a necklace that you could add a chew tube to.
http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therap...Path=15_1088&products_id=1746&sort=20a&page=1

That could be put under his shirt when not needed, and the T shaped one makes me think of a tool

 

[SoonerSarah]

There is a LOT more on the website, and you may find something to better suit his needs.

For the guard rail, what about a silicone cover for it? Similar to what is put on a crib.

 

[Mama Who]

My almost 14 year old chewed the edges of our Wiimote covers last month. You are not getting any judgement here!

We're trying to redirect him to a stress ball but if it doesn't work we may try a chew item like those listed.

>sigh< He's so old and so high functioning that often when he does something like this I'm completely thrown. Anyway, I feel your pain. Best we've managed so far is "only chew your own stuff."

 

[dunbarfamily]

Thank you ladies. I'm glad I'm not alone.

Here is a chew bracelet
http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therap...Path=15_1088&products_id=2324&sort=20a&page=1

And here is a necklace that you could add a chew tube to.
http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therap...Path=15_1088&products_id=1746&sort=20a&page=1

That could be put under his shirt when not needed, and the T shaped one makes me think of a tool

Thank you. I will check that website out. So should we let him chew, rather than discouraging it? Will he chew forever? He even chews clothing. Most of his things we cannot hand down to the next child.

My almost 14 year old chewed the edges of our Wiimote covers last month. You are not getting any judgement here!

We're trying to redirect him to a stress ball but if it doesn't work we may try a chew item like those listed.

>sigh< He's so old and so high functioning that often when he does something like this I'm completely thrown. Anyway, I feel your pain. Best we've managed so far is "only chew your own stuff."

YES! Our boy chewed the sensor part of the Wii remote (where the little laser beam thingy shoots at the TV) so bad last year it didn't work anymore. The teeth marks interfered with the remote communicating.

It doesn't seem right that I should have to put a teething rail on his bed. He's not a baby. I'm just so frustrated. I'd thought of putting that foam pipe insulation on it, but I'm afraid he'd just chew that too. So that leads me back to thinking its not normal to have to put a teething-type rail on his bed.

How do I get over the, "I shouldn't have to do this that or the other thing for an almost 10 year old" and move on? Perhaps it is I who needs the counseling.

Sigh.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Ask the Occupational Therapist at school for help. This is an oral sensory seeking behaviour. OTs should be able to recommend sensory tools as well as maybe help come up with ways to stem this behaviour to less destructive outlets.

 

[Chelley00]

Our DD is a chewer. She hasn't been diagnosed with any other "issues" (for lack of a better word) either, so it's a total mystery to us. She's always been orally fixated - 2 pacifiers at a time as a baby, chews fingernails, finger, toes, toys, pencils, paper etc. She's chewed through the straps on her backpack while sitting on the bus. The last time we went to the dentist, they made the comment that she had pounds of hair between her teeth from constantly chewing on her hair.

Her pediatrician said it was just a phase, but now reading this thread I'm wondering if there isn't something a little more to it?

 

[andersonsc]

Our son also chewed everything when he was in elementary school. He also has ADHD. School allowed him to have carrots, pretzels, gum while at school. Chewing diminished over time (now in 9th grade). Not sure why. He still does it when stressed. I really noticed it again at the start of this school year, but now it has decreased again. I do see a correlation between his stress level and his chewing.

 

[JACH1976]

-

 

[JACH1976]

Double post

 

[ireland_nicole]

DD and to a smaller extent DS are both chewers; now, we don't get it perfect by any means, but we have found chew tubes, straws, tangled toys and (this was an idea by an OT and we love it) clear plastic tubing from the hardware store slipped over a pencil to help a lot! Also crunchy snacks

 

[WantToGoNow]

My ds10 is also a chewer. I have noticed that it's getting better. He's chewed up the TV remotes, Wii controllers, even the buttons off of his old DS Lite and the exterior of it looked like it had been attacked by a wild animal. He got a cell phone for his 9th birthday and I told him if I saw 1 tooth mark, he'd never see it again - it's still in new condition. He does still chew holes in the necklines of most of his shirts and he has no fingernails but the rest has pretty much stopped. He is seeing a therapist now for ADD, ODD and anxiety issues so maybe the chewing is related somehow. When he was little his mouth was on everything - including the handrails at WDW attractions (ewwww). The grossest thing ever though - a doorstop at the YMCA.

 

[Celidh]

My ds 11 has Asperger's and is a chewer but not quite to the extent of some of your children. He has always had a big oral fixation and put everything in his mouth, still does. He chews his shirts, always has the strings of his jackets chewed and has chewed the wii remote at his dad's. I think the fact that he sucked his thumb helped prevent him from chewing more than he does. He is almost 12 and although he has finally pretty much stopped sucking his thumb, he still does once in a while. One thing that helps him is that his teacher allows gum in the class as long as it doesn't get out of hand.

One product that was suggested to me, similar I would imagine to what a previous poster suggested, was chewelry.

http://www.nationalautismresources.com/chewelry.html

They are designed to look "normal" but are safe for our little chewers. I have not actually tried it but it was suggested by the occupational therapist and the woman he sees at school (not sure of her title) for help with is Asperger's issues.

For those of you with chewers, how are their teeth? My son will need some dental work from sucking his thumb. Actually all three of my kids had/will need braces. My oldest will soon only have to wear his retainer at night. Dentist said the end of the month. I think he is counting the days.

 

[EvangelineG]

Thank you ladies. I'm glad I'm not alone.



Thank you. I will check that website out. So should we let him chew, rather than discouraging it? Will he chew forever? He even chews clothing. Most of his things we cannot hand down to the next child.

I agree with the PP who said you need to consult with an Occupational Therapist on this one. Your son is an oral sensory seeker, which means his brain craves the input he's getting from chewing. Discouraging him from chewing without giving him other outlets to get the sensory input he needs is just going to be an exercise in frustration for you both. Instead of discouraging, think redirecting. Get the "chewelry" that was suggested. Give him gum and hard, crunchy foods to snack on (like carrots). An OT will have lots more suggestions for less destructive, more socially acceptable outlets. And no, he probably won't chew like this forever. Sensory profiles can change over time.

YES! Our boy chewed the sensor part of the Wii remote (where the little laser beam thingy shoots at the TV) so bad last year it didn't work anymore. The teeth marks interfered with the remote communicating.

It doesn't seem right that I should have to put a teething rail on his bed. He's not a baby. I'm just so frustrated. I'd thought of putting that foam pipe insulation on it, but I'm afraid he'd just chew that too. So that leads me back to thinking its not normal to have to put a teething-type rail on his bed.

It doesn't matter if it's normal. Do what your son needs, when he needs it. It sounds like this would help him.

How do I get over the, "I shouldn't have to do this that or the other thing for an almost 10 year old" and move on? Perhaps it is I who needs the counseling.

Sigh.

This is tricky, and all part of accepting our kids for who they are. I wouldn't worry about how old he is. Different kids have different needs and mature at different rates. And a good counsellor can help the whole family, I know ours does.

My answers in bold above. I would also suggest the book The Out-of-Sync Child : Recognizing and Coping With Sensory Integration Dysfunction
By Carol Stock Kranowitz. Really helpful in understanding kids with sensory issues like your son (and mine!).

 

[SueM in MN]

I’m going to move this to the disABILITIES Community Board because it is not really about travel to WDW (except for the parts that mention checking on WDW handrails - LOL)

I will add a reminder.
Many kids use chewing as a tension/anxiety reliever. So, if they are chewers, it is a good idea to bring some chewies to WDW with you to use in line.

Also, aquarium tubing is a good fairly inexpensive and easy to find source of clear tubing. You can put it onto other things or some kids chew on a string of it or even knot it into shapes.

 

[Bella Rose]

My sister was a Pica when she was younger. She would chew on or eat anything she saw. A lot of people do this because of a nutrient deficiency. It can mean that they aren't getting enough of the nutrients, or their body just can't absorb what they are eating properly. Has your son been tested for nutrient deficiency? Common ones include iron and zinc but there are a lot that can cause this as well as other problems. Good luck with everything!

 

[kirstenb1]

My answers in bold above. I would also suggest the book The Out-of-Sync Child : Recognizing and Coping With Sensory Integration Dysfunction
By Carol Stock Kranowitz. Really helpful in understanding kids with sensory issues like your son (and mine!).

I agree with Evangeline. Try not to think "why" or "how long", or whatever. Just keep working on helping him. We all have those thoughts. I try to remember it's 200x harder to be my daughter, than to be her parent. No nine yr old wants to be the kid chewing on stuff.

 

[MrRomance]

Hi everyone,

You are all so welcoming and helpful here. I've posted a few times in the past, but mostly, I just "lurk" here.

I'm coming out to ask for help. Our oldest will be 10 in January. He's a good boy, smart and eager to please. He was diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago, displays anxiety and irrational fears and after therapy, he has been taking medication for about 15 months now.

Our problem is he is chewing on EVERYTHING. Literally. Fingernails, toenails, pieces of toys, things he finds on the floor, paper, plastic, even the wood on his bed. He sleeps on the top bunk and I'd say he's chewed away about 25% of the guardrail. Seriously. He has been doing this for at least 4-5 years.

We are at our wit's ends. We've talked to the doctor multiple times and we are told they don't know what causes it, but some kids do it and others don't. The counselor doesn't provide much more insight. I've googled, "kids who chew", but I keep finding that people give their children a baby teether. That seems dumb to give a nearly 10 year old a product designed for a four month old.

WHAT is causing this and HOW can we get him to stop? Its so frustrating for us to see him chewing EVERYTHING, and its rather disgusting. He'll chew up his bed so much his saliva will drip down to his little brother's bed below. I think this is probably something he can't control, but it doesn't eliminate the frustration.

WHAT do I do? Please don't judge me. We already feel bad for getting after him. I just don't know what to do. Ugh. Bribing him, threatening him, rewarding him does not work, lending more support to my idea that he can't control it.

I have an autistic daughter who was a prolific chewer. Has your son been tested for ASD?

Chewing can often be a sign of anxiety and grows worse with increased stress. Try to take a low arousal approach so that you do not stress him any further or make him feel pressured. I know this is difficult, we have gone through the gambit of things with our DD to stop it, but the more you push the worse it will get.

There are a lot of chewer items out there that and PP have indicated some of them. Explain to your son that you understand that he wants to chew but that it is not safe for him to chew everything. Give him one of the products that have been recommended and let him know it's ok for him to chew it but that he must not chew anything else because it isn't safe.

It's worked with our daughter, she now has long nails that she loves painting and she rarely chews anything now.

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

i did this when i was younger--very badly, and will find myself doing it sometimes now if i'm extremely nervous, stressed or anxious. i've had an anxiety disorder since i was very small and i was forever getting in trouble for chewing and/or sucking my thumb. because i went through a bit of trauma in my childhood, the counselors told my family to let me chew--but the dentist in my aunt, lol... continued to nag. my family put me in upper and lower mouthpieces (custom made at my aunt's office) at bedtime when they didn't "monitor" me and if they came in to check on me and they were out... i was in big trouble. once the braces went on, it wasn't as bad--sometimes my hair, a pencil eraser, a pen, the strap to my backpack, etc. the braces were an obstruction and if something got caught in them, it was more of a pain that it was worth chewing, so i switched to mints--which i was pretty much addicted to for a while.

it is very nervous/anxiety related so digging a little deeper may help maybe when you get him a new toy, or a new something... as a pp did with the phone... advise that if you find one bite mark on it--it's gone. he'll have to resist, and will maybe learn the skill of resisting on other things!!

i hope it gets better!!