Chewing...
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Chewing...
| Thu, 09-07-2006 - 3:58pm |
My son, almost 6, chewed up the cord to the XBox controller!!! We didn't know till it was all chewed up. I have noticed him chewing other things as well, like the pen to the Leapster.
What is sort of funny is that my DH used to chew on rags. I think he would chew on his shirt as well. Something in common there?
He hasn't been diagnosed but there's something else to add to the list. Maybe the chewing is just normal? but when combined with everything else......


My son (8.5, AS) chews his shirts. If I ever figure out how to post photographs without having to subscribe to anything, you'll see that whatever shirt he's wearing will have a soggy, wrinkly bit in the upper left chest area. Or a hole.
One day, as he was chewing away, I told him that I heard about these necklaces you can get that are especially made for that purpose, "because lots of other kids like to chew on shirts and stuff too, but it wrecks the shirt." His response was, "Gee, that's dumb."
He likes to chew gum, too. I don't have a problem with him chewing gum per se, as long as it's sugarless and I don't see or hear it. Unfortunately, he likes strong flavors, and is contantly wanting to get a new piece of gum. So a pack of gum lasts a day around him. I don't get it often.
Funny, he never put anything in his mouth as a baby.
Just curious, how much current goes through an XBox controller cord?
Evelyn
My 8 yr old chews on everything as well. He started chewing on hard, plastic toys when he was about 4......so I knew it wasn't teething. He stopped chewing on stuff at home but he still chews at school. We finally figured out in 1st grade that his chewing helped him reduce his stress. His teacher noticed a decrease in meltdowns but an increase in chewing. I had him tested for lead poisoning (pica) and it came back negative. He was diagnosed in 2nd grade with AS and anxiety disorders. Also during 2nd grade, I had to replace all of his school supplies almost weekly......he would chew and destroy pencils, crayons, markers, erasers, glue sticks, glue bottles.....everything.
At the end of 2nd grade, they started allowing him to chew on sugarless gum and chewy/crunchy snacks at school.......it worked. I just sent in a big supply of sugarless gum and snacks yesterday for 3rd grade......hopefully it works.
Christie
My boys all chew stuff. I think it's their way to stim and deal with their other sensory difficulties. Only one of them is onthe autism spectrum-- the other two have SID and ADD or ADHD.
Betsy
Chewing is really common for kids with sensory issues which most ASD kids have. Typically they are looking for proprioceptive input. Hey, at least they choose to chew something that doesn't add to thier waist line. It is basically the same reason many of us HAVE to snack when under stress and we often choose crunchy things like chips, etc.
I made Mike a tube necklace out of new fish air tube. You can also use exercise tubing. crunchy snacks, if not for the red dye and sugar - frozen twizzlers are great.
If he chewed the cords I bet he would dig tubing.
Renee