Jonah doesn't bite often, but is very oral. He is almost 5 (in 2 weeks)
and he still puts things into his mouth. He also likes to lick metal,
like street signs. But the jumping with both feet and hand flapping you
mentioned, he does that constantly. Also the high pitched squealing. We
get lots of "looks" but I have learned to ignore it. My boyfriend of 3
years still gets a little embarrassed, but we are working on that! He
is great with my boys, but I think he gets a little overwhelmed when we
take them out in public. I am totally used to it by now! Had a fun
(sarcasm) episode in the ER waiting room yesterday, but i will tell
that later... Off to 12 1/2 hours of work all night!
BTW- If he bites the same area, try putting something that tastes bad
on that area. Like if he always bites his forearm, rub something on
there. Maybe that will stop him. I dunno, it's just something my friend
used on her little girl's thumb and it worked!
Megan still chews and sticks stuff in her mouth at almost 3. There are a few things we have done to help. The OT made her a necklas out of surgical tubing that she wears everyday, when she wants to chew she will put it in her mouth and bite. At first we had to take the other thing she was bting out of her mouth first and replace with the necklas. We also increased sensory foods. Alot of those mentioned above. The one i found that helps her the most is popcorn. Megan also gets over excited about dogs. We thought initially she was terrified of them cause she woudl scream and scream and want to be picked up or run away this si when we get hand flapping too. We eventually figured out she is excited and cant process it as doctor had told us in her eval. What is it abotu dogs lol.. Our neighbor with a little dog is very sweet and will call the dog to the fence so they can interact a little. I hope she get used to them.. If not oh well..
Both of my kids do that off and on. Jeffrey does it when extremely agitated. Gabe has done it at school. The first time he attempted it at home, it was to get something or be able to do something I said no to. I noticed here recently he will do the biting stuff when he and his brother get into it. He can leave some marks on you. And he has done that off and on at school. But generally when he does that, they of course send him home.
Tammy
Dear Amber:
A child with Autism is overly stimulated by his environment and frustrated by his inability to communicate.
We are currently training our child with the Son-Rise Program. Please see their web-site for further details. We go into his world. We imitate his behavior. It has greatly reduced the biting. Eating everything needs to addressed with a controlled environment. We have created a safe, secure, without stimuation playroom.
My heart is with you.
Jacob's Angel
Yes Aiden also bites the metal fence posts in our back yard. That necklace does that work well then? They can't eat through it? Ds has started chewing up his pacifiers recently when he has always been good in the past just suckling them. My bro in law who lives with us says he's just spoiled and we need to spank him. He says ds listens better to him sometimes when we're not there. Well when ds kept on about something and was throwing tantrum I gave him a swat on the butt. You know...he just started biting himself worse. So much for discipline advice.
Amber
Julian has a new obsession with ice. He is in the freezer literally 50 or more times a day getting handfuls of ice. I let him eat it but it is so bad to be opening and closing the freezer all day long. It can really make your electric bill go up! lol
Luke doesn't bite himself much, but mouths a LOT of other things. The OT told me that it's mostly due to his sensory issues. As long as we can slowly get him to phase out of it, I'm not too worried, however. I bit my nails and sucked my thumb when I was very little. :)Tyler bites when angry or frustrated to calm himself down... I have yet to find anything to stop it although I do firmly say NO BITE! and when possible have him squeeze me or a pillow as hard as he can.
Heres some info on oral motor......... from How to know if its sensory / What to do
ORAL MOTOR: Oral motor skills are used to regulate state of arousal. Infant and toddlers use sucking as a way to fall asleep or calm down; children and adults may use the oral motor area to concentrate (chew gum, suck through straw or bite nails), and comfort (foods).
Considerations: Oral motor activities must be constantly and consistently monitored for safety. Be aware of food and non-food allergies when considering oral motor activities.
HOW TO KNOW WHEN IT IS APPROPRIATE TO GIVE ORAL MOTOR INPUT:
As previously mentioned, oral motor activities help children and adults to calm, focus, and concentrate, and can be utilized either immediately before fine motor task or during fine mo1or tasks to help the child come to midline and concentrate.
Experience has taught that oral motor activities (like lollipops) may also become a distraction (as the child pulls the lollipop in and out of mouth usually with dominant hand and therefore stops the fine motor activity). If food is the oral motor activity of choice, choose foods that remain in the mouth to help decrease distractions.
ORAL MOTOR ACTIVITIES (O)
0-1 Blowing bubbles
0-2 Blow Ping-Pong or cotton ba11 across table with straw.
0-3 Tugging/biting washcloth, therapy tubing.
0-4 Crunchy snacks.
0-5 Blow toys, i.e. windmills, Kazoos, whistles
0-6 Blow up balloons
0-7 Chewing gum
0-8 Vibrating toothbrushes
0-9 Resistive sucking- i.e. sports bottle, drink boxes, straw, crazy-straws, thicker liquids
0-10 Foods: popcorn, crackers, bagel, beef jerky, fruit rollups, tootsie rolls, starburst fruit chews, and pretzels
0-11 Chewing crushed ice, fruit (non-sugar) Popsicles, frozen bananas
0-12 Chew on coffee swizzle sticks
0-13 Suck on sugarless hard candy
0-14 Suck on sugarless gummy candy
0-15 Suck on sugarless jawbreakers
0-16 Slow, deep breaths; about twenty
REMEMBER: Monitor for safety and always check for food and non-food allergies
Aiden tends to bite his hands and arms when upset and tantruming. I'm getting used to that. But today he was biting himself (not hard) when he was excited. I've never seen that before. Do any of your nt or autistic children do that or have they before?
We were in a pet store in the mall and ds was walking by all the puppies and kitties. He was screaming (squealing) loudly and very high pitched and jumping up and down with both feet at once over and over in front of the animals. He was almost overly excited, like exaggerated. And at a few points he bit his arm and then continued to squeal. It was a bit odd and people were staring. I just let them stare and allowed ds to continue to be loud and enjoy the event.
He is still so oral. I forget what age they grow out of that. He just turned 2. He has to taste everything and I catch him eating books and other non food itms a lot still. On the way home, I watched him in the rear view and he was chewing on his fingers. He does this if he doesn't have his pacifier. Could all of this be just normal child behaviors? I just don't know enough about this as dd didn't do any of it.
Amber
The OT told me that my ds has oral sensory issues. I would just keep an eye on it in case it goes beyond normal development. I am pretty sure 2 yrs and oral is normal... 3 yrs is when it is being phased out. Watch the degree of it too, it's normal for some kids to suck thumbs or have pacifiers much later than 5 yrs. An OT could sort it all out.
My ds bites when excited too. We have worked it down to biting his clothes only and not himself :)
my son 3 1/2 mason autistic-chews on his fingers all the time it just started about 2 months ago-he has been off a passy for over a year. he chews them so bad he will start to cry and i tell him to take them out of his mouth and he looks at me like he does not even know he was doing itTrudy - mom to Isaish - preemie, hydrocephalus, PDD NOS
the surgical tube necklas has worked well for us. I did hear soemoen else once say they soaked the chewy tube necklas in koolaid powder and water so it had a flazor that was pleasing?? I didnt do that and in fact i wash the necklas with soap.