21 year old with hands in her mouth | Autism PDD

This checklist may help you better understand your daughter's sensory issues. The website is also great to browse around at, and you might find good tips there.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processin g-disorder-checklist.html

Some people on this forum have found that zinc supplements lead to decreased mouthing impulses. You might want to run supplements past your daughter's doctor -- maybe there's even a nutritional deficiency that's behind both the saliva being strong and the mouthing behavior.

Good luck with everything.

They actually make toys for those sensory seeking mouthers!

https://www.schoolspecialtyonline.net/onlineCatalog/onlineCa talogDisplay.jsp?URLID=1001&catalogCode=A207&seqPage Num=0251&view=01

This is one kind.

Here is another......I have purchased this at Walmart.....

http://www.specialneedstoys.com/usa/search.asp?search=Vibrat ing+Teether&navID=49&subnavID=190

Although....21 years old....I imagine you want to elimaite the behavior altogether...not have chewing toys....no thoughts on how to do that...sorry !

Is she interested in anything else that keeps her hand busy? Is she able to crochet or knit, or anything like that. Or even something that she just likes to feel that she could hold in her hands. Maybe if she is busy with something, she won't put her hands in her mouth as much.

I put my fingers in my mouth a lot of the time, gently chewing on them or sot of picking at the hairs on the fingers. I don't hurt myself and I don't hurt anybody else.

If you're dd is hurting herself, eg causing sores, then stopping her hurting herself is fine. But if she's just putting her hands in her mouth I can't see the harm in it, it's probably just a way to relax, I know it is with me.

My J has did that for years and still does it. Maybe she'll out grow it on her own amberwaves39362.7349537037

[QUOTE=NorwayMom]

Thank you will check this out. Have a good day

Melanie

This checklist may help you better understand your daughter's sensory issues. The website is also great to browse around at, and you might find good tips there.

http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/sensory-processin g-disorder-checklist.html

Good luck with everything.

[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=SaKa]Is she interested in anything else that keeps her hand busy? Is she able to crochet or knit, or anything like that. Or even something that she just likes to feel that she could hold in her hands. Maybe if she is busy with something, she won't put her hands in her mouth as much.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your reply. Yes when she is busy she does not put her fingers in her mouth. She cannot knit or crochet. Though she is 21 years she is mentally 2 years old.

Melanie

I would think that it is something sensory. My ds goes through phases of
chewing on things and it has been easier finding him things that are clean
and socially appropriate that he can chew on than trying to extinguish the
behavior.
What do you think your dd gets from having her hands in her mouth? Is
she sucking her fingers or licking or biting? Maybe you could find
something else that would give her the same sensory input like chewing
gum, suckers, a larger carrot, chewlery (therapro.com). An O.T. specialist
might have some ideas or input.
Good luck and welcome to the board.

hey all

i have a 21 year old autistic daughter who is relatively fine. yes she throws tantrums but does most things normally. she cannot talk, however she can understand a lot.

the one problem i have is that she always puts her hands in her mouth. we (my husband and i) would love her to stop doing this. we have tried everything- bitter tasting foodstuffs, soccer gloves (which worked for about ten minutes) and trying to distract her with toys, however this does not work and she continues to put her hands in her mouth.

does anyone else have an autistic child that does this? any ideas on how I could make her stop?

thanks for your time

thanks for your reply, its a security thing as her fingers are with her all the time, have to keep reminding her to keep her fingers out of her mouth

[QUOTE=bullet]

I put my fingers in my mouth a lot of the time, gently chewing on them or sot of picking at the hairs on the fingers. I don't hurt myself and I don't hurt anybody else.

[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your reply. Its just that her saliva is so strong that her fingers smell and people do not want to socialise with her. She is a sociable girl and loves meeting people.

[QUOTE=allisa]

Here is another......I have purchased this at Walmart.....

http://www.specialneedstoys.com/usa/search.asp?search=Vibrat ing+Teether&navID=49&subnavID=190

Although....21 years old....I imagine you want to elimaite the behavior altogether...not have chewing toys....no thoughts on how to do that...sorry !

[/QUOTE]

Thanks yes i would like to stop this completely as it has become a habit, her saliva is so strong that her fingers smell. She is very social and likes meeting people

My daughter has Rett Syndrome and has her hands in and out of her mouth constantly..its very common in RS. I use arm braces to stop it, mostly when her skin starts breaking down. They keep her elbows from bending so her arms can't reach her mouth. www.armbraces.com
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