There are numerous reasons why a child could be demonstrating oral sensory seeking behavior like mouthing and/or chewing items. As a school-based occupational therapist (OT), I get questions frequently about how best to support this need. It is often of a very high priority because students putting dangerous things in their mouths [especially if they also chew them!] can have serious consequences. In order to best keep our kiddos safe, I have compiled a list of things that the team should consider when approaching oral sensory seeking behaviors. Notice I said TEAM. This is likely going to take collaboration between the entire school team [including your OT!], the parents/guardians, as well as the student!
Consider Why They Are Chewing
As with all sensory-based approaches, there is no one size fits all approach. Below is a list of potential reasons a child may seek additional oral sensory input. There are factors outside of sensory processing differences that can contribute to students putting things in their mouth.
Anxiety?
Is your child sucking their thumb, sleeve or shirt collar, or biting their nails? Sucking/mouthing can be a form of self-soothing. Be curious about how the child may be feeling around the times that you notice an increase in this behavior. Be careful not to assume the emotion of the child, but if you notice a trend in the behavior [especially around times of increased stressed], make note that anxiety may be playing a role. We want children to be able to self-soothe, so this can be a good thing! However, the level of age-appropriateness as well as whether or not the item is safe and not easily damaged also pay a role in decision making. Taking a mental health/coping strategies approach may be the most impactful in this scenario.
Boredom?
We encourage students with attention deficits to chew gum in order to focus, right? Another form of self-regulating, chewing can help students focus! My school district does not typically allow gum chewing, but we do have some students who have specifically designed instruction (SDIs) in their IEPs or 504 Plans that allow them to chew gum [or other oral sensory tools]. Does chewing increase during “down time”? The team can also consider how engaged the student is [are the expectations too high or too low for the student to actively participate?] in the classroom if chewing/mouthing behavior increases.
Medical Needs?
It is common, developmentally, for children to “explore” with their mouths [among their other senses]. Has your child had their vision and hearing checked recently? These should be assessed annually. Perhaps your child is relying on mouthing items to make up for weaknesses in their vision. On a similar note, make sure to rule out dental/tooth issues or potential pain. Especially for students who have a hard time communicating, sometimes biting/chewing can be due to tooth and/or jaw pain. Children should also be seeing a dentist regularly!
Sensory Seeker?
After ruling out some of the above-listed potential causes, you can enlist your school’s occupational therapist (OT) to help consider sensory processing differences. OTs have an advanced training on the neurology behind sensory processing [registering, interpreting, organizing and responding to all the input that comes our way throughout the day!]. Sometimes sensory processing dysfunction can cause a child to “not trust” their senses. They may explore things with a variety of senses to “confirm their findings”. The jaw muscles can receive a lot of proprioceptive [deep pressure] input that can be very calming/regulating for students. Sometimes students don’t seek out this deep pressure input with their whole bodies, but with their jaws. However, heavy work might be a good whole-body solution to decrease chewing if it is a sensory-seeking behavior. Is the child over-stimulated by what is going on in the environment [ex: loud/noisy, fluorescent lighting, etc.] and they are chewing to self-soothe? The possibilities are endless, and your child may need a sensory processing evaluation from your OT in order to figure out the best way to address their needs!
Check out my blog on supporting sensory seekers in the general education for some more ideas!
Sensory Tools for Self-Regulation
Below are just a few ideas for things to consider when looking for alternatives to chewing unsafe items in the classroom. Check out my blog on calming activities for sensory seekers for more ideas!
- Chewing gum
- Z-vibe or electric toothbrushes
- Drinking thick liquid through a straw
- I like CamelBak water bottles because you have to bite the straw!
- Crunchy/chewy snacks or sucking on hard candy [ex: lollipops]
- Heavy work and/or movement breaks
- Passive proprioception [ex: weighted materials or joint compressions]
- Always consult with your occupational therapist prior to implementing!
- Sour spray
- Blow bubbles [also great for deep breathing/self-regulation!]
- Chewlry or other chews *
*There are quite a few things to consider when picking an oral sensory tool. Consult with your OT, but be careful when selecting a tool as there are many [cheaper] poor quality items on the market that easily break, contain BPA, etc. Consider age-appropriateness and potential choking hazards. Cleanliness is also a major consideration! Who is going to clean it, and when? Is there a place where it can be stored [other than inside the desk or on the floor!]?
Building Self-Monitoring Skills
The overall goal [always!] is for the student to be able to self-monitor. If a student can understand how their body is feeling, and know what tool will help them achieve a state of regulation, they will be most successful! Check out the Simple Sensory Self-Regulation Toolkit for a set of self-regulation visuals, choice boards, and request boards!
