Kids who benefit from mouth activities may have a difficult time receiving this calming stimulation at school….and look appropriate. I’m sure everyone has seen, or has a kid who sucks on their shirt, hair, sleeves, pencils…or just about anything. This can look “weird” to other kids who may treat them differently, but it is also a concern about germs and possible sickness or poisoning, depending on what’s in their mouths. And depending on what they are sucking/chewing on, it can be harmful to their teeth and gums.
It’s also difficult to explain to kiddos who feel calmer from sucking on something that it ‘looks weird’ or ‘isn’t age appropriate’…..because quite frankly, THEY DON’T CARE. It makes them feel better, calmer, less anxious, whatever, and if you don’t find a more appropriate way for them to receive this stimulation, they will continue to do it. One phrase an OT teacher recently taught me to say is “it’s giving me weird feelings.” This way, it doesn’t shame them, but it does help explain how it makes you feel and can start an appropriate conversation about how to change the behavior. Here are some tips I have tried and had success with thus far. As with any tip, each child is different….don’t give up, something will work!
As discussed in this article I wrote about proprioceptive activities, oral activities are a muscle and joint sensory seeking activity. These days there are so many chewy necklaces available to help kids receive that calming sensation. Kid appropriate, and safe, necklaces coming in a variety of shapes and sizes so they look like an ordinary necklace, but offer the strength required for kids to bite and chew. From sharks tooth, jewelry, animals, even make your own with silicone chew beads, there is something to fit every child’s personalty.
A very simple solution to provide the heavy work activity that oral seekers are wanting is to give them a cup or water bottle with a straw. This sucking motion gives them some mouth work, while looking appropriate and hydrating…yeah!! The harder it is to suck, the more work they will be doing, but sending in a thick smoothie with a massive silly straw is not school appropriate…or doable. I’m a big fan of Contigo products, as they don’t leak like other companies do….and trust me…I have tried LOTS of water bottles and cups.
If you’re looking for a smaller cup with a straw, these Contigo Kids Tumblers are AMAZING because they don’t leak….that’s right….tip them upside down and nothing!!! Your child would need to do refills during the school day, and maybe this extra time to get up and walk around is beneficial, but if they don’t want to, Contigo also makes this Contigo AUTOCLOSE Shake & Go 20oz cup with straw. The straw can come out, unlike the kids tumblers, BUT there is an autoclose hole so no leaks. My husband like this for his iced coffee…put everything in, shake, insert straw, and go. Contigo also makes great leak proof water bottles with straws. This smaller Contigo AUTOSPOUT Straw Gizmo Flip offers a germ free hideaway straw that gives them a good sucking feel. For an even stronger oral satisfaction, and less refills, try this larger Contigo Autospout Ashland Water Bottle. All Contigo products are dishwasher safe, and you can use a drinking straw brush kit to wash the insides of the straws.
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Another simple and inconspicuous way to offer oral stimulation is by putting a sour flavor in the water. This tartness will give their mouth a slight buzz and tense up the muscles just enough to provide a bit of regulating stimulation. A squeeze of one wedge of lemon or lime is just enough for the water. I have a difficult time keeping fresh lemons and limes in the kitchen, and it’s nice for the flavor to keep going after a refill at school. I’ve found these True Lemon & True Lime Packets which have been a life saver for my lack of fresh lemons, and Whitney being able to put more flavor in her water bottle at school when she refills. She packs a few lemon and lime packs in her backpack and when she refills at school, just opens one up and dumps it in. You can try this True Lemon, Lime, Orange & Grapefruit Sampler Pack to also get a sour taste of grapefruit and orange. And added bonus for yourself is this True Lemon STRAWBERRY, WILDBERRY, LIMEADE, WATERMELON, BLACK CHERRY, MANGO ORANGE, PEACH, LEMONADE, RASPBERRY to add some sweetness to your water!
Most schools have a snack time for kids and this is a great opportunity for them to get their jaw muscles moving with some super crunchy snacks. Hard, crunchy foods give the jaw joints a great workout and gives your kid a calming sensation. Pack some baby carrots, an apple, or their favorite crunchy chips. I’ve discovered these Kay’s Naturals Protein Cookie Bites, which offer a gluten free, protein packed, crunchy option for kiddos. If you search for Kay’s Naturals on Amazon, you can see the company offers a wide variety of cereals (which dry cereal is another great snack option), chips, cookies, and other yummy food.
The action of sucking is very stimulating and calming to some kids. If the kiddo is old enough to handle the safety of sucking on a cough drop, this can be a good school appropriate option. Try to get sugar free cough drops. I particularly like the Halls Defense Sugar Free Citrus Vitamin C Drops for their tart flavors. If they don’t like this flavor, try Brachs Sugar Free Lemon Drops Candy or Sugar Free Ice Breakers Sours. Schools are generally ok with cough drops or hard candy as it doesn’t stick like gum does.
Which brings me to the final, and sometimes school INappropriate option. This is the option that you may have to speak to the teacher or guidance counselor before trying. Most schools do not allow gum, so don’t send this in before checking or your child may get into trouble. Chewing gum is amazing joint and muscle work for the mouth, and kids generally respond very well to this. However, they do need to be age appropriate and mature enough to understand where and how to dispose of gum. As with cough drops or candy, be sure to buy sugar free gum. We use Trident brand mainly because it is small for a kids mouth, comes in a variety of flavors, has easy access packs, and is easy for kids to monitor how many they eat during the day. For example, Whitney eats 1 piece before snack, 1 after snack, 1 and after lunch. Knowing she needs 3 pieces a day helps her gauge when she needs a new pack, and also just knowing when to use it. It becomes a daily reminder. Go to the store and let your child pick out a variety of flavors. Once they know what flavors they like best, purchase them in bulk…because trust me….they will go through them quickly, and this will help save you time and money.
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OMG, my daughter will chew on everything and for a while we didn’t know what was wrong with her. It took her until like 3rd grade to stop sucking her thumb. We thought it was out of nervousness, but that is not it. We have a few of these items at home and all work great. The best one for our daughter is the crewy necklaces. They look good as well and gives Hannah some individuality as she choses which ones she wants. Thanks Rachel for all this info.