Sensory Fun

Frequently at conferences I meet people who want to know why their child is chewing on their clothes.  One parent shared that her son had chewed holes in every one of his shirts!  Now that is an expensive habit!

Reasons why children are chewing on their clothes:

1. Kids use chewing to assist with attention and focus. Lots of kids are chewing on their clothes at school, because they use chewing as a way to help them pay attention.
2. Kids are chewing because they have a dental issue, either molars are coming in or they have a cavity.
3. Chewing is calming.
4. There may be connection between not moving and chewing. The theory is our bodies need to move, expend energy, kids who are inside a lot or have trouble with movement tend to need to chew. Thus chewing releases pent up energy.
5. Kids may also be chewing on their clothes because they have a need to stimulate their jaw muscles. This is especially true of kids who eat a more soft or pureed diet.
6. They may have Pica.

There are many safe, well tested products for kids who need to chew.  Some people have given children animal toys.  Its important to remember that these chew toys don't have the same rigorous testing that products designed for people have to go through.

Here is an over view of some helpful products for kids who need to chew:

The Chewy Tube,

The Chewy Tube is designed by a group of speech pathologists.  These chewy tubes were initially created as part of a jaw rehabilitation program. The tubes are different colors that represent different diameters of the chew tube.  The yellow tube has the smallest diameter, red is a medium diameter and the blue chewy tube has the largest diameter.

Grabbers

The grabber chewie has a rounded handle making it easy to hold. There are a variety of Grabbers to choose from. The original purple Grabber is very springy when someone bites down.  It gives nice proprioceptive input to the jaw muslcles.  There is also the Textured Grabber that provides an interesting texture for oral exploration.  The Grabber XT is a their toughest chewie for people with an extra strong bite.  The nice thing about a grabber vs. a chewy tube is the price, grabbers are a little cheaper. 

 

 ChewEase Chewy Tube

The ChewEase chewy tube has a clip it's great for people who tend to loose things. The chewy tube is  latex free and non-toxic.

Chewy Pencil Toppers

Chewy Pencil Toppers slide over a pencil top.  Lots of teachers order them for their classes, since chewing can help concentration. Chewy Pencil Toppers are sturdy, but can only be used with one pencil.  Once you slide one on, they won't come off. 

Knobby Teether Ball

This is a great chewy that is easy for young children to hold.  It has lots of areas to chew on and can work as a fidget. Some teachers give this to their students to use during circle time.