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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>How Do I Stop 3yr DCK And 17mo DD From Always Mouthing Everything?
SunshineMama 10:22 AM 04-13-2012
Everything goes in the mouth! It is so yucky, and spreads germs. How do I stop this?
DD 17mo always mouths toys.
Dcg3 mouths everything. Today she had dd's hairbow in her mouth, the corner of my couch pillow, her own shirt, shared toys, etc. I also caught her today licking my wall and window. I am grossed out by the soggy fabric, and not to mention that I really dont appreciate that all over my family's personal house area. (Family room is shared space).
How do I stop it? I definitely want to stop dd before she turns into dck!!!
DD 17mo always mouths toys.
Dcg3 mouths everything. Today she had dd's hairbow in her mouth, the corner of my couch pillow, her own shirt, shared toys, etc. I also caught her today licking my wall and window. I am grossed out by the soggy fabric, and not to mention that I really dont appreciate that all over my family's personal house area. (Family room is shared space).
How do I stop it? I definitely want to stop dd before she turns into dck!!!
AnythingsPossible 02:17 PM 04-13-2012
Does the 3 year old have sensory issues? I had a little guy who mouthed everything. His therapist suggested getting him a chew tube and after a few months of using it, he has weaned himself off of it (with our help) and doesn't mouth things as much, he still does on occasion, but we redirect him to his chew tube.
MNMum 03:31 PM 04-13-2012
Most of mine do this! One 20 mo old, I chalk that up to teething. Both 3.5 yo boys, I'm constantly reminding them. Heck, my 6 yo and 9 yo daughters do this sometimes! Sorry, that probably wasn't what you were looking for...
SunshineMama 04:12 PM 04-13-2012
Originally Posted by AnythingsPossible:
Does the 3 year old have sensory issues? I had a little guy who mouthed everything. His therapist suggested getting him a chew tube and after a few months of using it, he has weaned himself off of it (with our help) and doesn't mouth things as much, he still does on occasion, but we redirect him to his chew tube.
No sensory issues that I noticed, other than the desire to constantly put everything in her mouth. Does the 3 year old have sensory issues? I had a little guy who mouthed everything. His therapist suggested getting him a chew tube and after a few months of using it, he has weaned himself off of it (with our help) and doesn't mouth things as much, he still does on occasion, but we redirect him to his chew tube.
SunnyDay 06:41 PM 04-13-2012
For toys I have done "I have to wash that now" as soon as they put it in their mouth and put it in a basket by the sink (for a child who is old enough that they shouldn't be putting toys in their mouth). This worked very quickly to help them realize they were going to miss their favorite toys if they were always in the "wash" basket. I don't know about the fabric and everything else, though, that's harder!
Ariana 10:59 AM 04-14-2012
I would get a wooden teether or something they CAN chew on and then replace the toy with it each and every time while saying "out of your mouth, you can chew this instead" and offer it. I have to do this with my DD when she's teething. She's nearly 3 and still has 2 molars left to come in (UGH!!!). The litte 2 yr old also mouths toys constantly and I give her a wooden teether or a raspberry teether to chew instead. It's a slow process though...