Hi, we haven't started back to school yet but I certainly can relate to the chewing habit. My son did alot of that starting in preschool and alot in Kindergarten and it continued on thru 1st and 2nd grade. He will be entering 3rd grade this year.
In preschool they let him chew gum and also in kindergarten. But by 1st grade they did not allow him to do that anymore. He chewed his pencils apart. He put all kinds of things in his mouth. He chewed his clothes for many years too. Shirts always soaking wet and chewed up.
Last year he told us he chewed things because he was hungry (which I don't think was true) the teacher tried giving him snacks when he started to chew on things. The behavior started to get better but I have a feeling when school starts back up he'll be munchin on those pencils again!!!!!!!!
I guess I don't have a solution just empathy
ang
Hi Parents,
Hope everyones school year is going ok. We're off to a bit of a rough start but it's all relative ...We have a new issue that I was wondering if anyone could relate to--
My son's latest thing at school is constantly chewing on stuff--mostly pencils and the erasers on them. Not too many erasers left anymore... This is rather new and he didn't do it last year--so today I was thinking, well if it helps him stay quiet since his mouth is occupied, perhaps its not all bad, but what could he chew on that wouldn't be destructive or um, poisoness, or gross--
Do you think they make pencils or pencil shaped items for this ? I'm thinking they must but where to find them? THis is not a new habit due to any medication changes or anything, I guess its anxiety and just ya know, back to school! The toughest place for most adhd kids!
Ok thanks for listening, any advice appreciated as always:) Thanks goodness for this board and parents who can relate!
There was another topic about chewing on here recently. One of the replies was that chewing helps concentration, so it is a good thing. The school probably doesn't allow gum, does it?There are many studies out there indicating that chewing actually helps stimulate a part of the brain in kids with ADD/ADHD. Some have conducted tests letting children chew on an object or gum and inevitably they do better than when not allowed to chew. It tends to happen when our son is "understimulated." I personally give the teacher a heads up that this is an issue w/ our son -- it's just kind of a part of it!
Just an idea, but you might look for a pencil topper that would be ok for him to chew on?
hi guys, thanks so much for the replies, I am going to look into what he could chew on quietly and not destructively! I hadn't heard that it can actually help some kids think (funny, now that I think of it I have ALWAYS been a gum chewer!!)lol, i don't think a pencil could be poisonous. Maybe switching to nail biting? Or toothpick biting? Interesting topic -- my 6 year old son (ADHD) has recently started chewing on his tongue as if it were gum. I notice he tends to do this when he is nervous or trying very hard to concentrate, like in Karate class when his teacher speaks. I have been scolding him to stop, but may step back and see if this is helping him to concentrate.
My daughter this year has began to chew on her hair. As for school gum is not allowed.
My 5yld has been chewing his fingers for a while. I noticed today that one was bleeding. He bites them while playing soccer and while skateboarding. Its disgusting. I always bit my cuticals..i cant spell..in school, it was nerves. In pre school, his teacher kept trying to get him to stop...with no luck mind you. Its gotten worse over the summer. I think the med. is making nervous. I have no idea what we can do to stop them, besides not sending them to school, thats the only thing that stopped meMy son is 8 and he does the samething. I ask him if he is still teething? I think for him it is because he thinks he is going to answer wrong or if he gets in trouble. And your right. I am not looking forward to another year that my adhd child struggels so bad. Good luck.