4 yo ds putting objects in mouth/biting

Unique

Tue, Mar 20 2012, 6:57 pm

My 4 yo ds likes to feel everything in his mouth. As a baby and still now he will always put toys in his mouth, really any object - even coins - and bite down on them. First I thought it's just a baby thing - he'll outgrow - but he is still doing it. Not only that, when he's really tired he can even absentmindly bite down on my other kids - whether cheek, finger whatever he's next to. He is not doing it out of meanness - he knows it's wrong to bite. I just think he needs to feel textures with his mouth if that makes any sense. Has anyone had any experience with such a thing? Should I be consulting someone for this? TIA

Mimisinger

Tue, Mar 20 2012, 8:58 pm

He's what in OT hey call a "Seeker." He's seeking input and needs a speech therapist that specializes in Oral Motor issues.

You can help by buying him an electric toothbrush and letting him get input that way. You can massage his face, get a messager for his face, have him chew on hard and spicy things - hard pretzels, spicy pickles (though he probably likes that stuff to start with because he can taste it)