Tylers-mum Report post Posted March 21, 2006 (edited) T (6y/o, dx HFA) has recently started chewing his clothes or moreso, sucking on them. It's a new thing for him and it's been going on for around 3weeks now. He started with chewing his sleeves until they were soaking wet and I changed his tops but now it's more his neck line, he lifts the front neck line of tops and sucks or chews them and they are constantly in his mouth. He tend not to do it in school that I know of (well, his tops are dry when I collect him) but as soon as he is home, his top is in his mouth. It's so bad that the wet is soaking his vest underneath also and then he wonders why I have to change his tops all the time. Any ideas on why he's doing this and what I can do to stop him?? I've explained that he'll be ill if I don't take the wet clothing off and I've asked why he does this, his reply is simply 'I like it'. Edited March 21, 2006 by Tylers-mum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flora Report post Posted March 21, 2006 tm, I don't know why some kids do this. William goes through phases of sucking, pulling, chewing his clothes. Most of the cuffs get torn to shreds within a very short time and all of his t-shirts are stretched out of shape (I try to keep him in t-shirts when indoors because he can't then chew the cuffss but he just stretches them instead). He is a real fiddler, and if it isn't his clothes it's something else ;he tends to rip things up and shred things without seeming to realise he's doing it. Sorry this isn't exactly advice. I have no idea why they do this. Lauren Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kinky j Report post Posted March 21, 2006 hi t.m, not really advice either, just wanted to say that i went through phases of doing this myself as a child, usually at times of incresed anxiety, when my parents split up all my t-shirts ended up with frayed necks as i'd bite whole chunks out of the material. i'm still a compulsive chewer but now it's my fingernails and pens! i just kinda grew out of chewing my clothes as i grew more aware of my apperance and my peers. hope it gets sorted soon as i ended up costing my dad fortunes on new tops kinky j Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Debs Report post Posted March 21, 2006 My son has always done this too. His T-Shirts have holes in them from his chewing and I can no longer buy him long sleeve t-shirts as he just chews the cuffs and the whole sleeve! He has sensory difficulties/sensitivities and for him this is one of them. He uses it to help him concentrate and to calm down. If you stop your child doing this they will sub-conciously find something else to replace it. I'm sure that there a lot of you NT (!) adults out there that smoke when you are stressed, chew your pens, bite your finger nails - you are doing it to either wake up or slow down your sensory system, our kids do the same but with their clothes I give my son a piece of naso-gastric tube to chew (I'm lucky that I work in the next office to a nursing team so I get it from them) The reason that I use this is that it is very tough and non-toxic. Loads of chewing gum works (but my son plays with this and gets it everywhere!) a really crunchy apple or carrot sticks can give them a really good sensory buzz that is longer lasting than chewing something soft. Also allowing them to play with an electric toothbrush can give them what they need or a facial massage especially around the mouth and cheek areas - you have to be gentle but firm and don't attempt it unless you feel confident about it. I know a child that chews anything even radiators not something I would recommend. Debs x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nellie Report post Posted March 22, 2006 This previous topic has useful information relating to chewing. Chewy Tubes, are brilliant for those with a need to chew everything http://www.asd-forum.org.uk/forum/index.ph...wtopic=5708&hl= Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LKS Report post Posted March 22, 2006 My 11 year old son has always done this and I think it is a calming concentrating aid to him. In primary school he chewed his jumper down to the elbow. At home now he chews the neck lines of his t-shirts. He is old enough now to realise a soaking wet top looks a bit odd so he will go and change it himself Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamom Report post Posted March 22, 2006 My 12 yr old does the same and its so annoying but we have got used to it now, he used to chew his knuckle it thought it might be when he was nervous but it also seems to be at home more than at school. I think the chewy tubes help, i got a stress ball for him to play with at that helped so much. justamom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jools Report post Posted March 22, 2006 G bites his collars, all buttons are bitten off his school tops, the cuffs on his jumpers have been bitten off, he looks like a ragamuffin.....lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paula Report post Posted March 22, 2006 I got my son a chewy tube because he constantly chews and bites his hands. He still prefers his hands to the tube but will use the tube when prompted. How about giveing him an old tshirt or something that hes allowed to chew and doesnt matter maybe itll save the clothes that do.He obviously getting something out of it.My son enjoys chewing his hands he says but cant explaine why. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
curra Report post Posted March 22, 2006 No advice, but I wanted to say that my son (12) also bites his hands, nails and knuckles. He chewed his sleeves when he was 5 or 6 and he stopped when he began to be more concerned of his appearance. The chewing tubes look like a very good idea! Curra Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
isaacsmum Report post Posted March 22, 2006 (edited) I dont know if you have considered going down the gluten/casein free diet route but I have heard that some children chew clothes because there is gluten in either the fabric or the washing powder and they are trying to get a gluten "fix". You could simply try changing your washing powder as an unfamiliar taste might not be so appealing. But I agree with the other suggestions that you try to find an alternative item for him to chew. Edited March 22, 2006 by isaacsmum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
microsoft_admin Report post Posted March 22, 2006 i do that a lot when im board i chew what ever tshirt i have on i find it relaxing but im shure its not good for the teeth Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tylers-mum Report post Posted March 22, 2006 Looks like I'm not alone in this then!! Thanks all!. I'll go investigate the chewy tubes link Nellie posted now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
call me jaded Report post Posted March 24, 2006 We've struggled with this too. Just FYI it is milk products that are in washing powder and fabric conditioner. We use Vegan approved products, but should really use washballs. We have recently written my son a social story using the following points - we cannot see your face when you are chewing - we cannot understand what you are saying - it was cute when you were tiny, but isn't now - having a wet top feels cold and looks odd - (his sister's contribution) if you chew all your clothes you won't have any and won't be able to go to school Yesterday school reported an entire day without chewing - yay! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tensing Report post Posted March 24, 2006 My daughter does this not as much as she used to, but it really annoys me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DaisyProudfoot Report post Posted March 24, 2006 (edited) It's not just the AS kids that do this folks my dyspraxic 13 year old has chewed anything and everything since he was tiny. I gave up handing down his clothes to my AS son years ago because there was never anything left. All our remote controls are just shadows of their former selves, mouse mats disintegrate to nothing ........ it's like having a puppy about permanently. He doesn't even realise he does it either. I once said to hubbs we'll know if he ever starts smoking because he'll probably stop chewing ..............oh and what he does with his feet .... you just don't want to know Edited March 24, 2006 by DaisyProudfoot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
call me jaded Report post Posted March 24, 2006 Day two of no chewing. He's 11 BTW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hollymg Report post Posted March 26, 2006 Wow I could have written that post. My son is also 6. I don't know how we got him to stop but we did, almost as suddenly as the behaviour started. The only thing I can think of is that his wrists got really nasty from always being in contact with the wet spit-on sleeves, and we kept applying antibiotic creme to them. He loves biology so we gave him a detailed explanation of the cause-and-effect, and he quit. His favorite shirts (uniform LOL) are still the ones from the chewing period and they look quite nasty but oh well, at least these days they are dry so I won't complain! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
asereht Report post Posted March 30, 2006 (edited) My son used to chew his tops and t-shirts.Then it moved from that to his wooden bunk beds!! these days (he's 15) he chews straws when finished drinking with them.If you give him a packet of sweets in paper (not plastic) he will chew up the wrapper,same goes for lolly-pop sticks.There are a few others can't think of them now,also he bites his nails down to nothing.( I do this too ,always have done ) Edited March 30, 2006 by asereht Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lisann Report post Posted April 1, 2006 Yep Char does this too more so when we are out and he is unsure of the surroundings but I have noticed that his chin is getting sore where he is doing this at school in the playground.Glad we aren't alone!! Lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynyona Report post Posted April 1, 2006 kieran used to chew the sleeves of his sweatshirts jumpers etc when he was younger,theres a lot of things that have come to light while ive been a member of the forum that i didnt give a second thought to until he was dx asd.He would always take his clothes off and preferred to walk around just in his nappy or undies and i could never understand why.I now know that its a sensory thing as he is still the same with clothes now(not taking them off lol) and he s 19 lynn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Malika Report post Posted April 1, 2006 Hi H is always chewing his sleeves and collors if he wears short sleeves t-shirts I thought to make a kind of long necklace out of fish tank tube which is not toxic I hope this will work at least for home as his uniform sweatshirts are all damaged now but I would not give him anything to chew in the school setting. To add to that he keeps chewing his head sets cables and eventualy damage them until they stop working, we have replace 4 head sets in the last 8 months... Malika. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
