I have one that is 19 months now. I've had him since he was 15 months. He had all of his teeth with the exception of his molars. They told me when they interviewed that he has a chewing issue. That is an understatement of the century! He is chewing up everything in my house. He knows he's not supposed to because as soon as he sees you look at him he'll pull it out of his mouth. If you tell him "no" and take it away he will immediately pick something up as soon as you turn around and put it in his mouth.

Their theory is don't have any toys out that you feel are valuable...however 1. it's not all toys that he's chewing up. She knows this. She even told me he's chewed his crib up all the way around the top rail at home and 2. all my toys are valuable to a degree since I've spent my hard earned money on them. I can't not let them play with toys and none of the other kids are chewing the toys up like this. If it was one once and awhile... ok no big deal ...but this kid is chewing up everything every single day all day long.

On top of him sticking all this stuff in his mouth she's brought him with what appears to be upper respiratory and flu like symptoms, a barky cough, runny nose and very fussy, wouldn't eat although he's not running a fever. He thew up twice last night around 4pm (again no fever). I was assuming it was from all the drainage he's had. She was supposed to call the doctor before she brought him back since she didn't go in till late this morning and let me know what they said. She sent me a message last night explaining that she had a call in and wouldn't hear back from them until the morning. She would let me know. Never called me but had dad drop him off this morning with no clue about anything... (amazing how that happens).

It's not just hard toys, he was chewing on a stuffed animal the other day. Heck he even eats his diaper ... which I pushed her to talk to the doctor about. She almost told me to duct tape it on him during his nap so he wouldn't poop in it.. and pull it off to eat it. She told me the doctor said it was all normal. I'm like... clearly you didn't give him the full reality of this issue.

Now he's here getting everyone else sick. I'm starting to feel something settling in my own chest (crossing my fingers) and they think he is just starting to get his molars... Frustrating...

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It's probably too early to tell if he has a developmental issue or physicological reason for the chewing. The only thing you can do for now, I think is channel it. He needs to have something he CAN chew. Maybe a few teething toys on pacifier straps? EVERY time he chews on something else...say "chew on THIS!"

I'm wonder if those dog chew things (like pigs ears) are toxic to humans? jk

but I did find these:

http://www.nationalautismresources.com/chewelry.html

which makes me wonder....

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Sounds like he has a sensory disorder.

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my son has high functioning autism and sensory integration dysfunction and he was like this. We bought him 'chewelry' and he was ONLY allowed to chew that (I sanitized it at naps and overnight, etc) he wasn't nearly as severe as this sounds though, and now gets by with gum.

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Yes! They make things to chew on that should stay intact! It might be worth it to save the rest of your toys!

I've never heard of such a thing in a child so young! Good luck!

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I agree, he needs something he can carry around or have attached to him that he CAN chew on. Definitely also give him the same thing when he is napping so that hopefully he won't pull his diaper off and eat it! That's the first I've ever heard of a child chewing and eating his diaper. That's just plain NASTY and he could get super sick!

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I have plenty of toys that he would be ok to chew on... he chews those up but that doesn't stop him from picking up the other ones and chewing them up... or sticks and leaves and sand outside, books, my foyer bench, the fork and spoons I give him at lunch.... it goes on and on...

BUT HECK! You give him carrots, celery or something like that and he won't have anything to do with it. Diaper is ok but vegetables... no way!

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I have had kids that could chew through a phonebook. It was insane what they chewed through.

I've had them chew up all the cardboard and wooden blocks, the edge of a wooden table, my bar stools, and several indestructible little tykes toys.

I bought them toys for chewing. It did nothing.

Eventually, and several very expensive toys later, they eventually outgrew it. Fortunately, they are all the same age, and went through the stage at the same time. But, I'm still a little angry about what they destroyed.

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This was me as a child. Furniture, toys, everything. I eventually outgrew it.

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It is so frustrating!

My husband was out working in the flower bed the other day in the backyard while I had them out and he has a trailer that hooks on to his tractor mower... He looked over and this child was licking the side of the tractor tire where the dirt was. He's almost 2.

Something just seems off to me. The other day I was changing his poopy diaper and he grabs it out from underneath him and proceeds to begin trying to swing it around. I get that he's young it just seems like he should be past some phases by now and maybe they are more than phases.

Today he pulled a speaker cover off and chewed it up.

Also at lunch I made spaghetti with meatballs. All the kids loved it and even took seconds. This child sat there the entire time watching everyone. He's 20 months old and not great with a spoon or fork yet so I figured maybe he just needed some help. I put some on his spoon for him and put some in his mouth and all the sudden his eyes got real big and he let out this blood curdling scream and proceeded to intentionally gag himself and spit out the spaghetti and puke up the milk he drank all over himself and the floor. He continued to scream and cry.

We've been battling this food thing for a couple of weeks now. He won't eat food. Apparently it's repulsive to him but he has no issue with eating his diaper, sand, dirt, sticks, lint, ect...

So I clean him up change his diaper and take him in and lay him down for his nap just as I always do. When he wakes up I find that he ate about half of his diaper...which he had peed in and on top of it he's chewing on the blanket I leave in there with him.

So she arrives to pick him up. I asked his mom if he eats spaghetti at home and she said it's been a long time but he's eaten it. I explain what happened. I also lead into how he chewed up my speaker cover today and he's been chewing on furniture. She tells me that he's been continuing to chew on his crib at home. He even managed to move the protective cover they had put on the rails to try and keep him from chewing on it. He somehow pushed it over and continued chewing up the part he could get to.

I'm trying to tread lightly but I asked her if she's talked to the doctor about it and she looks at me kind of offended. We had talked about the diaper thing before and I urged her to ask about the chewing thing. She did talk to the doctor about the diaper thing before but she's not given them the full concept of this whole problem (chewing the diaper as well as furniture and random other things like sand and dirt). She tells me and the doctor that he just eats the sides of his diaper where the tabs are but I catch him all the time eating pulling the stuffing out and eating it. She didn't tell him about everything else he chews up or eats.

I said, "I don't know I'm wondering if maybe there's something going on with his teeth or something. I was trying everythign in my power not to say, "it just doesn't seem normal." I said, maybe it's something painful and he needs to see a dentist but it seems like it's more than teething because he's doing it when he's not had teeth coming in and I feel like the chewing is getting worse...and he's ruining a lot of stuff here...pretty much everything he looks at. She just looks at me and says yeah, he does chew. I don't know what to do about it. We tell him no but he keeps doing it. I just think it's a habit.

I wanted to say, "Ok well this "habit" is ruining my house!"

I feel like there is a lot going on that she's intentionally not talking to her doctor about that she should be. I'm sure it's hard when you don't know what's going on. I can understand not knowing what to do but I just am so frustrated with the destruction going on in my house. I really like this family but I'm just frustrated

He was having a tough time for awhile because I termed a 4 year old that I had. It seemed like he went through a rebellious spurt. He was then the oldest until my newbie came in. When the child I termed left he began this high pitched screaming all the time. He started throwing things and pushing and hitting a lot until I started this 2.5 year old now. He's been a lot better behavior wise and seems to be improving learning wise... so I'm feeling a little better about the learning stuff but sheesh. I just have a hard time believing that this is a learned habit at this point. It's more like an obsessive compulsive disorder from what I'm observing. He has this oral fixation that just seems insatiable.

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It sounds like Pica to me. That Mom needs a wake up call!

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http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_d...c&id=572&cn=37


Feeding and Eating Disorders of Infancy or Early Childhood: Pica
Andrea Barkoukis, M.A., Natalie Staats Reiss, Ph.D., and Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. Updated: Feb 4th 2008

Disorders in the "Feeding and Eating Disorders of Infancy or Early Childhood" category include Pica, Rumination Disorder, and Feeding Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood.

Pica

Pica is a disorder that occurs when children persistently eat one or more non-food substances over the course of at least one month. Pica may not sound like a dangerous problem, but when you consider that the non-food substances that are ingested are frequently toxic or otherwise harmful to the human body, the potential for illness and even death becomes clear. Pica may result in serious medical problems, such as intestinal blockage, poisoning, parasitic infection, and sometimes death. This disorder has been described as one of the most serious forms of self-injurious behavior (i.e., deliberate self-harm) because of the high risk of death from this type of behavior.

The typical non-food substances that children with pica ingest tend to vary with age. Younger children with Pica frequently eat paint, plaster, string, hair, or cloth. In contrast, older children with Pica tend to eat animal droppings, sand, insects, leaves, or pebbles. Adolescents affected by the disorder often consume clay or soil substances.

Theorized causes of Pica include iron-deficiency (anemia), zinc deficiency, mental retardation, developmental delays, and a family history of Pica. Other theories suggest that Pica is caused by oral fixations, a lack of appropriate stimulation, or a lack of parental attention. In other words, the reasons why Pica occurs are not definitively known at this time.

Pica is more common among children and adolescents with other developmental disabilities such as Autism and Mental Retardation. For example, the prevalence of Pica appears to increase with the severity of retardation. Approximately 15% of adults with severe Mental Retardation also have Pica. Information about the overall prevalence rates for Pica is limited, however.

Diagnosis of Pica

Because of the potential health hazards and risks associated with Pica (e.g, malnutrition, poisoning, death), children suspected of having Pica are generally thoroughly examined by a pediatrician or family physician. The assessing clinician will need to gather as much information about the child as possible, so parents will generally be asked to describe the child's medical, psychological, and developmental histories, as well as food-related behavior, environmental factors that seem to trigger the pica symptoms, and the consequences of food related behavior. A developmental assessment (such as the Bayley Scales, described below), and comprehensive evaluations of children's home environment, including parental caregiving practices, dietary factors (whether or not children have been eating properly and receiving the full complement of necessary nutrients), physical activity levels, etc., may also be conducted.


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Bayley Scales of Infant Development

The Bayley Scales of Infant Development measure children's sensory and motor development. These scales assess children's sensation and perception, memory, learning, problem solving, abstract thinking, and motor movement (e.g., coordination of large muscles and fine muscles in the hands and fingers) abilities. Despite the test's name, it is appropriate for children aged 0 to 42 months, or roughly until age 3 ½.

Treatment of Pica

Pica can be difficult to treat. One of the first steps is to encourage children to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Replacing non-food items that children ingest with more suitable, nutritious food items is an important goal. Speaking with a dietitian who is familiar with Pica can be very helpful in coming up with appropriate and tempting menus. Dangerous substances that are possibly ingestible should be removed from the home (and other relevant environments) immediately so that they are not available as temptations.

Children with Pica enjoy not only the taste or texture of whatever substances they chose to eat, but also the oral stimulation involved. Therefore, a plan to decrease Pica should include alternative ways of obtaining stimulation (oral and otherwise) that are both positive and reinforcing (e.g., enjoying safe food items, and engaging in other highly desirable activities). To this end, therapists help parents and caregivers come up with developmentally-appropriate stimulation plans. Toddlers, for example, may be stimulated simply by playing a game searching for toys.

Parents should consider consulting with a behaviorally-trained mental health clinician, as a comprehensive behavioral plan based squarely on principles of learning theory (e.g., reinforcement, discrimination training, and punishment) may be necessary to manage and ultimately eliminate Pica. Reinforcement of healthy eating behaviors increases the likelihood that children will behave similarly in the future (e.g., they might earn tokens for each hour they behave appropriately and then turn tokens in for toys). Discrimination training is used to help children understand the differences between non-food and food items. Punishment (sometimes called aversive training) methods, such as placing children in 'time-out' when they engage in Pica behaviors, decreases the likelihood that children will engage in these behaviors in the future. For other examples of how learning principles may be used to influence behavior, please see our Psychological Self-Help Tools topic center.

Research is unclear with regard to which types of procedures are most successful (reinforcement vs. punishment) in helping children to discontinue eating non-food substances. Punishment may be a quick way of suppressing such dangerous and self-destructive behaviors, but the gains may come with unwanted long-term consequences and emotional side effects (e.g., the child may become overly anxious about eating) if the punishments are not carefully chosen and rigorously implemented. Behavioral clinicians will help design and modify a behavior modification plan based on the specific child and family being treated. Such a behavior modification plan should be implemented consistently within all of the child's environments (within other homes, at school, etc.).







This is SCARY imo, especially that mom sees NO ISSUE with this. My cousins son is/was the same way, and my Mom watches him on weekends or when their daycare closes (she is a teacher and is off the same days as the school/daycare) the kid is 2 1/2 now and will just pick up a piece of dog poop and much away, but wont touch a chicken nugget, banana, cracker! It's NUTS!

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I kind of felt like this might be what I was dealing with however I'm on the fence. He has seemed to be doing much better learning wise than he was... Initially I had concerns about him developmentally but since I've gotten this other new little boy he has come really far with his vocabulary in a fairly short amount of time. So I'm not as concerned as I initially was about his learning... although to me he still does seem a little behind but every child is different too.

She taught him how to do sign language for certain words before he could talk and so I'm battling that because he doesn't want to use words to tell me things like "please", ect... he wants to sign them. I cannot for the life of me get him to say certain words. He just seems really confused and frustrated about it. I figure it will just take time and maturity.

I'm just having an extremely difficult time re-directing his chewing/eating issue. It is so incessant/constant. Time outs are doing nothing. I don't feel like he is grasping the concept of the time outs. He really could care less that he's in a time out and honestly begins chewing on my bench or anything he can find if I put him somewhere else once's he's there. If I put him on the stairs he picks lint out of the carpet and eats it or tries to chew on the rail. If I put him on the couch... again he tries to pick lint out of the couch.

His mom even got that Bitter Apple spray that they use for dogs on stuff to keep them from chewing stuff up and was spraying it on his diapers. Still... no change at all. He continued to eat his diapers.

I am frustrated because I think this issue is much bigger than a "habit" and I think they aren't taking it seriously enough because they don't want to hear that there may be some kind of bigger problem. She really looks offended whenever I bring it up. I know she's getting tired of it but I'm getting tired of all my stuff getting more teeth marks or broken.

Yeah I can put toys up but that's not fair to the other kids because he has an uncontrollable problem. And I can't put up all my furniture and fixtures in the house...so what... I am just supposed to let him gnaw away at everything? I have a feeling this parent is on the verge of terming with me because I keep telling her to talk to the doctor about stuff. She acts like she's tired of hearing me tell her to talk to the doctor about stuff.

She just tells me that he says it's normal. I'm sure he thinks it is normal for the 5 minutes that he sees this kid and you aren't telling him about the whole problem!

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This sounds incredibly frustrating for you.

If you don't want to term, and since mom won't address the problem properly, I'd probably get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/North-States-S...ated+play+yard to keep him from chewing up everything in the house. You can put certain toys in there so that he's not bored and has something to do.

As far as the diaper, I'd either try a onesie or some footed sleepers with the foot part cut out and put them on backward to keep him from getting to the diaper.

I hate to separate kids from the group, but in this case it could be a viable solution until he either outgrows this or his parents address the problem properly.

Take care and let us know how it goes.

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So mom just picked him up and says that she called the doctor and they told her it was normal because he wasn't a thumb sucker. They also told her to give him a chew toy.



We went out this morning. I was swinging the babies and I look over. He has a big plate filled with sand that he's putting up to his mouth to dump into his mouth... of course just as I'm yelling "NO!" all the sand dumps down into his face and gets in his eyes and all down his front and back. He's screaming like crazy. Sand everywhere and his eyes are caked with it. I spent about 10 minutes rinsing them out while he screamed bloody murder and fought me and he was still rubbing them for awhile but I got tired of fighting him to continue rinsing them. I almost called her but he was only here for a half day anyways.

My mother was right when she told me "you will have days where these kids and their parents are great... and you will have days when they bring you to your knees."

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There have been a few times where I've really felt concerned about a child's physical or mental health and the parents weren't on the same page as me at all.

I've asked parents at that point if it would be alright for ME to call them up and ask them a couple of questions, their doc's name and contact info is right on their admissions form so easy peasy.

I've always been told "YEAH! of course!" because they've grossly undersold/misrepresented the problem and assume it really is no big deal.

When I call they cannot disclose any information on the child to me but I do tell doc (or the docs nurse) who I'm calling about and that I have permission from the parents to ask some questions. From there I run through "kiddo has been doing _____ and _____ and ______ in my care, you (or doc) has told my kiddos parents that's completely normal and I need to confirm because I am extremely concerned and am ready to terminate care based on the fact that I believe this child needs help and isn't getting it. I am actually on the fence about contacting CPS due to what I perceive to be medical neglect." Doc or doc's nurse is usually horrified to learn the actual truth and severity of a given situation and from there they consult with the parents who typically hem and haw but eventually admit to the facts.

Pediatrician is more diligent.

Kiddo gets help.

Everyone's life gets much MUCH easier.



If it's keeping me up at night you bet I'll the situation to task for a kiddo in my care like that.



brookeroo - guaranteed if you ask to call kiddos doc mom will either refuse because she's lying and never once actually brought this up before, or you will get the go ahead - call - and horrify the pediatrician with your tales of him not just chewing on but consuming diaper filling and licking tractor tires.

If they're not she needs to find a new pediatrician.

I'd demand it, or term.


I could not stand idly by and watch a kiddo flounder like that. You know it's wrong, don't be afraid to demand action or take it into your own hands!

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That kid has a problem!

A serious, severe problem!

That is NOT normal by ANY stretch of the imagination!

I can't believe that a ped would have downplayed it as being because "he's not a thumb-sucker"--what a load of bull! Either mom didn't actually say anything or she majorly downplayed the problem.

Something needs done for him, asap.

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I was talking to my aunt who is a realtor today about it. She brought up that maybe it was lead poisoning. ... who knows. Even my husband has said in the very few encounters he's had with this child that he can tell this kid is a little off.

She's going to bring me a chew toy for him next week. I'm supposed to redirect him with it whenever he's chewing on something he's not supposed to. Which is awesome because when he gets bored with it and throws it down and he's in another room chewing something he's not supposed to be I'm going to love walking around looking for his chew toy in the war zone of toys he's left it in and probably will also love prying it from the other kids hands to give to him. I'm sure he won't want it as well...

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I am an Aspie and I used to chew on my blanket. It was a RAG within a matter of a couple of years. It was either chewing or constant rubbing (my stuffed walrus was completely bald and had to have patches sewn on it ).

Definitely buy him something to chew on. Chew tubes are cheap. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...ords=chew+tube

You might look at this so that he cannot lose it. http://www.amazon.com/Abilitations-C...ords=chew+tube

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Thank you for the link... I may actually get one or two of these.

I'm reading some of the descriptions on these things and it reminded me of something else. I forgot there was also a time that he was chewing on his own arm. He actually had bite marks all up and down his arms for awhile however he seems to have stopped doing that.

Yeah... the more I think about it the more I am convinced this is way more than a habit.

Are these toys super hard? I'm thinking the clear rubber tubes would work the best for him. The other ones look a little too much like the other toys I have so I think these would peek his interest the most.

I just can't imagine what kind of shape his teeth are going to be in.

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No, they are not hard plastic. They are rubbery.

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So... I got the chewy toys. He likes them however it has been a full time job trying to keep him chewing on soley those alone. He will chew on them spuratically however he loses interest and tosses it down for another. I'm not kidding you when I say this alone has been a full time job watching him all day to just redirect this "habit"...and yet still not a lot of progress with the redirection. Although he likes the new toys...I don't feel like it's working much at all.

Caught him chewing on his toes the other day.

The same kind of spaghetti that he forced himself to gag up a few weeks ago... he devoured Monday.

Yesterday we went out side. He came around the corner and had a flat rock about the size of a golf ball in his mouth from our rock bed.

Today his dad drops him off and says... well I went in to get him this morning when he woke up and he had given himself a hickey. He has a huge purple welt on his arm including bite marks.

But of course... everything is "normal"....

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It sounds like he needs more oral sensory stimulation. Try chewy and crunchy snacks- pretzels, fruit snacks, carrot sticks, celery, etc. I had a girl like that who always had something in her mouth and it decreased by 50% the same week I gave her chewy and crunchy snacks. Any time you catch him chewing, take the item away and replace it with something he can chew- maybe a chewy toy just for him. Oral snesory issues get better faster when the children are allowed to get it out of their system. I have also heard of bite necklaces but I am not sure how I feel about them- you would have to get an okay from the parents first and then watch him very carefully.

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Done the food. Funny thing is he wants nothing what do ever to do with food. Doesn't seem to matter what I give him he picks at it and throws most of it on the floor. Different textured cereals carrots celery pretzels .... you name it... I've tried it....

He is extremely picky when it comes to foods. But I think it has more to do wih control. I also think that they feed him sacks all the time when he is home (including for dinner based on a conversation I had with her once) and constantly give him milk and juice to carry around whenever he is awake too much at home

At the same time when I do find foods he likes it ends at the table. As soon as he's off into the playroom what he eats at the table makes no difference. Im not sure everyone is understanding he literally has this fixation all hours of the day. It's not something that comes and goes in spurts at certain times of the day.

Been thinking about talking to them about trying the necklaces but they mentioned before they didn't like the idea and would rather have a bracelet on him. I haven't found any that I think he won't chew right through.

At the same time I think I could duct tape it in his mouth and he'd still find a way to chew on everything else instead.

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My dd chewed through a cast on her arm! Talk with his parents, and find some things he can have in his mouth. There are chewy toys that are not bracelets or necklace. Have them purchase several.
You may have to keep him in a separate space until he starts to understand he must only chew the things provided for that purpose. He will eventually get it.

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