Oral sensitivities are also occasionally referred to by the phrase “oral stimming,” which is short for “stimming of the mouth.”
A child will ‘stim’ as a way of regulating his or her emotions or as a response to situations in which he or she is either under stimulated or over stimulated by their surroundings.
Stimulating behaviors can be seen in children with autism spectrum disorder.
Children who have a need for oral stimulation may have a tough time controlling their tendency to chew.
Because they are too young to understand, children usually find it impossible to control the temptation to chew on items that they shouldn’t be chewing on.
This behavior cannot be changed, but it can be managed by replacing it with other activities that provide more positive outcomes.
So, are you able to exercise control over your child’s oral stimming? YES!
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What Oral Stimming Look Like
Objects are usually found in the mouth of a youngster who engages in oral self-stimulation because they do it so regularly.
It’s possible that you’ll catch him or her giving inanimate objects licks and tastes to see how they fare.
Comparable to a young infant who learns about the world around them by placing items in their mouth in order to gain knowledge about those things.
This method of discovery is called oral exploration. One form of stimming behavior that people engage in is called taste testing, and it’s only one example of what people do.
Chewing is a behavior that doesn’t appear until much later in its development.
Children often like to chew on inanimate objects such as the following:
- Clothing
- Toys
- Paper
- Rocks
- Pencils/pens
Oral Stimming
This is without a doubt the most frustrating sensory issue to deal with when you are the parent of a child who is a “chewer” because it can become dangerous.
If your child is a “chewer,” they are likely to chew on anything and everything they can get their hands on.
Due to the fact that anything could serve as a potential object for chewing, constant supervision is required due to the dangers listed below.
Dangers Of Oral Stimming:
- It’s possible to choke on inanimate objects that are small enough to swallow
- Teeth are susceptible to damage from hard objects
- Objects have the potential to cause choking
This presents a significant challenge for parents who have children who have the compulsion to chew on things other than their own fingers.
What should you do for a child who requires something to chew on as a matter of absolute necessity?
First and foremost, you have to come to terms with the fact that you are unable to break the habit of chewing.
Chewing is a wonderful activity that can invigorate your senses as well as calm your emotions.
A child will feel the need to chew on anything and everything because they have a compulsive need to chew. In other words, they do not have a choice in the matter!
Second, the behavior of chewing can be managed, and precautions can be taken to reduce the risk of both health problems and the possibility of choking, as well as damage to the teeth.
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Look For Choking Dangers On A Regular Basis
There are many instances in which objects located all over the house have been chewed on, and it is not always obvious when this behavior occurs.
There is a possibility that the item will sustain damage over time if it is chewed on an excessive amount.
This is what I mean when I say that someone is “chewing sneakily.”
Chewing is what happens when an object or part of an object is chewed without your knowledge, leaving you to wonder what happens to the object or part of the object.
If you are aware that your autistic child has a tendency to chew on things without your knowledge, you should make it a habit to check your home on a regular basis for items that your child likes to chew on.
Look around the house for various things such as pieces of cardboard, clothing, school supplies, loose change, and so on.
Toys and clothing, for example, can be worn down over time by excessive chewing, but random objects that can fall on the floor, like loose change, can present a choking hazard.
Offer Extra Chewy Snacks
If you want to give your dog a healthy oral sensory sensation, provide him with plenty of snacks that require extra chewing and jaw power.
A child’s need for the chewing stimulation that this offers will be fulfilled as a result of this.
Here are some alternatives to crunchy foods that you can try:
- Cereals
- Cereal bars
- Protein bars
- Granola
- Popcorn
- Veggie chips
- Carrots
- Celery
- Whole apples cut into slices or
- Dried fruit
- Fruit snack
- Chips
Try Oral Stimming Jewlery
Children’s chewable jewelry is available in a variety of forms, such as bracelets, necklaces, and even the caps of pencils, to assist children in meeting their oral sensory needs.
These forms include bracelets, necklaces, and even the caps of pencils.
These types of chewable objects offer a secure, long-lasting, and easy-to-access alternative to the practice of a child chewing on everything that they shouldn’t be chewing on.
The practice of a child chewing on everything that they shouldn’t be chewing on can be dangerous.
Try some of these chewable jewelry:
-6 Pack Lego and crystal chewable necklaces
-Dinosaur silicon chewy necklace
Make Use of Redirection
Chewing is one example of an oral stimming behavior.
Because this behavior cannot be stopped, the most effective way to manage it is to redirect it so that it serves a different purpose.
If you notice that your child is beginning to chew on his or her shirt, you should look for something else that is appropriate for them to chew on, such as jewelry that can be chewed.
If you do not find anything else that is appropriate for them to chew on, you should look for something else that is appropriate for them to chew on.
If this is the case, you should direct their tendency to chew toward the chewable jewelry instead.
I always make a beeline for my son’s necklace that he can chew on whenever I notice that he is starting to chew on his shirt.
This keeps him from getting mouth sores. After that, I give him the necklace that he can chew on rather than the shirt because I tell him that “shirts are not meant to be chewed” and then I remove the shirt from his mouth.
When used as a distraction to direct one’s attention toward more constructive outlets, chewing is guaranteed to be successful.
Chewing is one example of an oral stimming behavior.
Because this behavior cannot be stopped, the most effective way to manage it is to redirect it so that it serves a different purpose.
Your child should be made aware, through the use of redirection, that chewing on certain objects is not an acceptable form of behavior; however, chewing on chewable jewelry is an acceptable form of oral stimming behavior.
Chewing on chewable jewelry is an acceptable form of oral stimming behavior.
A child has more leeway to express themselves through play this way, while at the same time reducing the amount of wear and tear that is placed on items that cannot be chewed.
Include Straws with Your Beverage Offerings
The provision of beverages with straws is another method that can be utilized for the management of chewing behavior.
The better, in this case, is a straw that is more compact or a beverage that is more substantial.
Even though this does not give the feeling of chewing, it is still able to fulfill the oral sensory need that a lot of children have a craving for.
Boxes of milk or juice are great for providing additional resistance because the straws inside are so narrow.
I frequently substitute smoothies for juice boxes because they are another option that I find to be equally as satisfying.
You can provide your child with a nutritious alternative in the form of fruit and vegetable smoothies if your child prefers to drink smoothies rather than juice.
However, you should make certain that your child uses a straw whenever they consume a smoothie.
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Can You Control Oral Stimming?
Oral stimming can be controlled, that’s for sure. It is essential, however, to refrain from completely discouraging the behavior because many children find it to be calming.
Chewing is a form of oral stimming that can be difficult for parents to manage when their children engage in the behavior because it is a form of self-stimulation.
The phrase “don’t chew on that!” takes up a significant portion of my day as I am constantly admonishing my son.
Even though I know he can’t help himself and that it’s a sensory need that has to be satisfied, he still manages to put everything that shouldn’t be chewed in his mouth.
This is despite the fact that I know he can’t help himself. In the vast majority of cases, this will lead to the complete destruction of everything.
In addition to that, there are many things, such as rocks, that have come perilously close to causing me to choke.
Oral stimming is not something that can be eliminated as a behavior because it is not possible.
Nevertheless, it is something that can be managed, and in addition to that, certain preventative measures can be taken to keep your child safe.
When it comes to my own child, I’ve found that a combination of redirection and wearing jewelry that can be chewed is the most effective way to manage my son’s habit of chewing.