Beavers in the bed?

[BuntyB]

My children have swapped rooms and beds over the years. One of my daughters used to chew the bed. In fact she used to chew everything! This ended when she was whacked in the face at school with a raquet and broke off her two front teeth!

 

My second daughter blamed her battered bed on her sister, but a few months ago, we bought her a new bed. The tell-tale signs are already there- the top rail has been gnawed all the way around. She now admits she does chew it, but isn't sure why. I suggested a biscuit might be nicer, which she found hilariously funny.

 

Has anyone else had this problem and worked out what to do (preferably NOT hit dd2 with a raquet )

 

By the way, dd1 has decided to smear the wall instead. She also does the bathroom carpet.

[mandyque]

No idea what to do about the chewing apart from perhaps getting a metal framed bed, you can't gnaw them as much as wood! As for the bathroom carpet, get onto occupational therapy, my dd smears in her bedroom and we have just had special non slip flooring laid in her room so it is easier to clean, the same stuff you often get in special bathrooms for physically disabled people. They may help with some sort of wall covering but I was told to buy washable paint. Unfortunately they have told me they are baffled by her behaviour so minimising the damage she can do has become priority

[call me jaded]

The medical term for chewing non-food items is called 'pica'. There is a tiny bit of research that suggests that this may be triggered by a shortage of nutrients in the body. This is compounded by the fact that our children do not always metabolise what they eat very well.

 

I have heard mineral supplements (zinc and magnesium particularly) can ease this. I think Biocare do combined mineral drops - try your health food shop anyway. They didn't work for us but my son's chewing is limited to clothing.

 

BTW I've heard that carpet chewing can be a source of a gluten-type 'hit' (Opioid Excess Theory), something to do with the glue they use to stick the 'fluff' to the backing. Carpet also contains antimony and that is a very dangerous substance to ingest. So I would be lifting that carpet.

 

Sorry not to be more positive on this.

Edited September 30, 2005 by call me jaded

[jomica]

My son chews his clothes too and the wire from the handset of his playstation

 

All his pyjama tops have little holes in them, as if the moths have been at them, and his fleecy tops suffer the same fate.

 

I hadn't heard about the supplements, but will give it a go.

[BuntyB]

Thanks.

Just to clarify, Jaded, she doesn't chew the carpet. She wipes her fingers on it after using the loo.

 

We have changed the carpet a few times, but we're reluctant to put down vinyl since the kids have had so many accidents in the kitchen, I dread to think what it would be like getting out the bath. At the moment we have big mats that will wash, but she puts her hands roung the back of the sink to wipe on the actual carpet for some reason.

 

We have washable paint round her bed, thank goodness. As for the metal bed, we used to have one of these but she broke it. Haven't finished paying them off yet as it has drawers, bookcase etc etc, so can't really consider another!!

[mandyque]

Definately get in touch with occupational therapy Shona, they paid for the flooring which is non slip even when wet, it is used in special needs bathrooms so you won't have accidents. They might help with the bed too, otherwise you could ask Family Fund if you haven't had a grant from them this year.

[Viper]

Hi.

 

My DD NT used to chew her bed too she is 17 now so I will ask her why she did it hang on ...................She said she didn't chew it she used to look over the side (at her sister underneath, screaming, Bunk beds by the way)and rest her teeth on the rail, her teeth would sink into the wood eventually breaking the wood away.

If that makes sence?

 

Viper.

[jools]

g bites his bunk bed rail aswell ........ he says he doesn't know why he does it but it tastes nice!

he also chews all of his clothes