- Chewing and biting. Does your child chew on his clothes? Chew any objects she can get her hands on? A “chewie” may be a blessing for your little one. Any child can seek oral sensory stimulation – this is not an SPD-specific issue.
- E occasionally bites – but for him the issue is chewing. He will chew pencils, his fingernails, his coat, and random toys. I knew of chewies and looked some up – on Amazon of course.. I ordered a set of these “chewy tubes” and encouraged my son to try them out. It took some time to redirect and keep him on those, but it worked for us. We have now tried a few options – see below for links and pictures!
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What is an oral sensory seeker? What behaviors would I see?
- Oral sensory simply refers to the sensation of what is in your mouth, or what your tongue touches. It includes the taste, the texture, and the temperature. An oral sensory seeker is an individual that is seeking stimulation via the mouth and tongue.
- A child seeking oral sensation may: bite other people, lick other people, chew his clothes, or bite/chew/lick non-edible objects.
Why does this happen?
- A person may seek out oral sensation as a way to self-regulate or focus while anxious. My son tends to need a chewie when his routine has shifted, he is overstimulated, or he is sick.
- Seeking oral stimulation is certainly not limited to people with SPD. Do you like to chew gum to help you stay awake? Have you nervously chewed on a pencil or bit your fingernails?
- If your child has trouble eating, and you know there are sensory concerns, it may be related to the oral-sensory aspect of eating. That will be discussed in a later blog post.
Products we have tried and loved
- Here is the first type of “chewie” we ordered. We ordered these back in February of 2018. He still loves these ones. They are durable and keep their shape. My son loves the green ones, which have little bumps all over. In my opinion, the red ones would be best for an occasional chewer, or for a baby teething object. They are not quite as durable as the blue and green. Buy on Amazon
- Ark Therapy – E began getting private OT services a year ago. Our OT recommended Ark Therapeutic for new chewies. They have tons of options, many in necklace form. The necklace cord has a breakaway clasp. I recommend this brand above all others for durability and variability in options. They have options for mild to aggressive chewers, necklaces, vibrating chewies, and more. Here is a very popular option – Buy on Amazon
- Here is a “dog tag” version of Ark’s “Chewelry” if you are looking for a more discrete option. Buy on Amazon
- My son likes to chew on the top of his coat. He will soak the top of his coat in an hour. I wanted to find a fabric option for chewing. There are many options, but this one works for us. It is a great length, durable enough for our needs (heavy or aggressive chewing would wreck this), and looks cute. Buy on Amazon
How to use and clean
Chewies should be cleaned regularly. Thankfully, they are not difficult to clean!
- Chewy Tubes
- You can clean with a mild soap and water
- Ark Therapeutic chewelry
- You can clean with a mild soap and water
- Wash in a dishwasher but air-dry
- Or boil to sanitize
- Fabric chew necklaces
- I wash E’s fabric chew necklace in hot water with a splash of vinegar. Air dry.
- Please be sure to refer to product websites and manuals for specific cleaning recommendations
The last thing you need to know about “chewelry” and “chewies”
Every child is different and has different preferences. Some children will do just fine with any chewelry or even fabric ones. Others chew all day long and really grind the items. They could ruin a softer item quickly. Please consider the recommendations seriously on Ark’s website before choosing your items.
Lastly, some real talk. Are you concerned what your child’s peers will think of these items? The last thing I want is for my little guy to be bullied or made fun of. When we first got chewies, E had no idea that other people might have judgments. As he has gotten older (though he is still in preK), he has expressed the desire to not have a chewie at school, in public, etc. He doesn’t say any issues specifically and I do not push to create issues that might not even be there. Regardless, I remind him that chewies are great and they help his body. I can’t control what other people say about these things. I remind him that chewies look super cool (he has dinosaur ones) and help his body feel better.
Thank you for reading. I hope you find a great solution for your child!
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Wow! I had no idea there were products out there for kids with oral issues like mine. Thank you so much! I’ll look into these!
Thanks for sharing! I’m getting ready to have another baby in the house so this is helpful information!
This is a great post! I had no idea there were actually specific products like this out there, thanks for putting them in a list for people, this is super helpful.
I’ve never heard of Oral Sensory products before. This is really neat!
Such a great post, so many unknown products brought to the surface!
Great article. My child is a terrible teether so chewy toys are fab for that.
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This is a great list for oral sensory seekers like my daughter! Thanks for sharing!