5 Management Tips for Oral Stimming
Infants use their mouths to explore their world. They use their mouths to understand the taste, size, and texture of the objects in their environment. Therefore, it is normal for a young child to put their fingers, toys, and other household objects in their mouths. However, this behavior should decrease around 18-24 months of age.
For children with sensory processing disorder or Autism, this behavior of putting objects in their mouths may persist past 24 months of age. Oral stimming, known also as oral sensory seeking, is a way for a child to calm their emotions. When they feel under or overstimulated in their environment, oral stimulation such as chewing or mouthing objects can become a way to regulate themselves. It can be a very harmless mechanism for some children, but stimming in this way also has the potential to be dangerous if children chew on things they shouldn’t. Here are some of our top tips to help manage your child’s oral sensory seeking behaviors.
This blog outlines the basics of what oral stimming is, and provides some key advice for ways your family can manage these behaviors. For more guidance on this topic, reach out to Little Fish today.
What is Oral Stimming?
If a child orally stims, you’ll likely notice a consistent habit of putting things into their mouth. Like infants, they will explore and discover new objects by putting them inside of their mouth, but a child with a tendency to orally stim will develop this habit beyond taste-testing and will begin to regularly chew. Children chewing on objects is a noticeable sign of stimming, and you may find your child chewing on objects such as:
Toys
Clothing
Stationary
Rocks
Jewelry
Blankets
Hair
Fingers
Managing Oral Stimming
Having a child who’s prone to chewing can be concerning. It’s a tricky sensory issue to navigate, because it demands constant supervision for the young child – everything can be chewable to them, and there are several dangers that come from attempting to chew certain objects. Small items could be ingested and cause health problems, objects may be choking hazards, and chewing hard things such as rocks can cause serious damage to teeth. It can also be a distracting behavior, causing the child to concentrate on mouthing or chewing on an object instead of paying attention to or participating in an activity in front of them.
It’s important to note that your goal isn’t to stop the chewing behavior entirely. It isn’t going to happen! For children who use chewing as a stim, it’s their way to gain the stimulation they need and to calm emotions, feeling safer and more comfortable.
That said, this behavior is manageable, and can be redirected in healthy ways to minimize health issues, attention difficulties in relation to stimming, dental damage, and choking hazards. Here are our top five ways you can manage your child’s oral stimming:
1. Check Household Objects
Often, things all around the house can be chewed without you noticing. Thoroughly checking over your furniture and belongings can help you to spot when your child is chewing things they perhaps shouldn’t. Not only that, it’s a good way to ensure long-lasting damage isn’t being done to any household objects! Many things can become ruined beyond repair when consistently chewed on by your child.
2. Offer Snack Alternatives
Looking to satisfy your child’s need to chew without giving them inanimate objects? Food can be a great alternative to provide healthy stimming options. There are many chewy snacks out there that can offer the oral sensation a child desires – different textures will work better for different children, but trying out some crunchy and chewy foods is the best way to find an option that works for your family. You can also provide your child with foods that have different temperatures or flavors. Here are some healthy snacks that may offer the stimulus your child craves:
Celery
Raw baby carrots
Sliced apples
Dried fruit
Dry cereal
Nuts
Raisins
Granola bars
Pretzels
Ice pops
Ice cubes
3. Redirect Attention
Oral stimming behavior such as chewing isn’t something to be stopped, but it is a behavior that can be reduced over time. It is a necessary mechanism for children with the habit, so it’s best to provide yourself with go-to alternatives to provide when your child is chewing something they shouldn’t. Come up with a redirection plan – what are the objects or foods you’re happy for your child to chew on?
When you spot them chewing on their clothing or on household objects, gently remind them that “books/shirts/pencils are not for chewing” and offer an alternative. This encourages them to better define what is and is not acceptable to chew, and the positive redirection will reinforce a healthier response than being punished for inappropriate chewing. In time, your child will hopefully be able to realize for themselves what is the right thing for reach for when they need oral stimulation.
4. Provide Drinks with Straws
Another great management technique for oral stimming is to offer drinks with a straw. Whilst this doesn’t necessarily offer a chewing sensation, having a straw in the mouth can satisfy the sensory stimulation need, whilst providing an opportunity for your child to have a healthy drink. Small, narrow straws can be particularly effective, and thicker drinks just as smoothies can often add some extra sensations. Juice boxes are an easy option, and the small straw design works great for stimulation!
5. Provide opportunities for oral motor sensory activities
To help your child seek the sensory input they need, you can assist them in participating in activities such as using musical instruments like a harmonica or recorder. Blowing bubbles, either with a wand or bubble straw, is an excellent activity to satisfy oral stimming behaviors. Blowing out candles, blowing up balloons, or humming a song are also great ways to redirect your child into participating in a functional oral motor activity.
Contact Little Fish for Support and Advice About Oral Stimming
Managing your child’s stimming can be tricky for many parents, particularly if it’s a behavior you’ve never had to navigate before. Just remember – you’re not in this alone. There are plenty of resources and advice readily available to help you find the best management options that work for your family. The Little Fish team is ready to lend a hand, with experience working with a range of young children. If you’re looking for any guidance or want some more questions answered, reach out to us today to speak with a friendly team member.