Hi Moms. I have a 5 3/4 year old daughter. About a year ago she started chewing on her hair and clothing (sleeves, drawstrings, top of her shirt, etc). She does it absently while watching TV or just walking around. I really don't think it's anxiety related. It doesn't happen in those kind of situations. Repeated requests to "get that out of your mouth" are not working. "Sorry, Mama, I forgot." I do plan on getting her hair cut short for the summer anyway. Right now it's shoulder length. But I fear that she'll just chew on her shirt as a replacement. Any advice out there? It's driving me nuts! (P.S. I did ask the Dr. about it on our last visit. He said it's pretty normal and she'll probably out grow it.)
Thank you all so much for your responses. This site truely represents what is good and powerful about the internet. So, the minute my daughter got home from school on Friday I inspected her mouth. Sure enough, one of her six year molars is beginning to come out. It was red and swollen. She had never complained... until I mentioned it. Now all of a sudden it hurts. ;-). I am choosing to ignore the hair/sleeve chewing knowing that it will probably pass. For my own sanity though, she will be getting her haircut short for the summer. Thanks again.
Hi,
Just to repeat some great advice, please provide her with something appropriate to chew. At meals, incorporate chewy, crunchy foods. In between, celery carrot sticks and popcorn are great. This will help her "feed the need". I would even mention to her that you noticed her tooth coming in and that you understand her need to chew.
K.,
My five year old son chews on his shirt and sleeves all the time. It drives me insane. I think I would be more concerned, but my 8 year old did the exact same thing at the same age. This is a longshot and probably way wrong, but I always wondered if it was their version of teething for their permanent teeth. From talking with other moms this is actually pretty common at this age. I wasn't able to hand down any of my 8 year olds shirts from kindergarten and I won't be able to hand down these ones either. They look like they got attacked by moths. I actually just googled it and it seems that we are not alone. Not only are there moms who want to know the answer to this, but there are also K and 1st grade teachers who have multiple kids in their classes who do it. I'm telling you, they're teething!! Lol!
I have no remedy but wanted to let you know you are not alone (and I don't feel so alone after reading your many responses) My son will be 6 next week and he is going through this also. I think the person who said they are teething may be onto something. 6 yr molars have not come in yet and his front teeth are just starting to wiggle a little.
Hi K.,
I agree with you about it being frustrating. My now 6yr old son when through it. Chewed on clothes and blankets all the time. I don't know how many shirts he made holes in! My pedi said the same thing, he'd outgrow it. Sure enough, just before he turned 6, he just stopped on his own. I don't know if it was having me tell him all the time that I wouldn't replace his ruined shirts or what, but he doesn't do it anymore.
My now 4yr old son from the time he was about two, would chew the corners off of books. We were stunned becuase he was so sneaky about it; we just find books with corners missing all thet time. My kids love books more than toys I think so we told him he couldn't get any more new books until he stopped chewing on them. That must have clicked becuase not long after (a few months) he stopped and we havne't had any issues with it.
One thing I did do was tell them if they felt the need to have something in their mouth to chew on, take on of their favorite stuffed animals or blankies and just rub it on their mouth. In this way, they would pick up the scent of their comfort object that they loved and it seemed to help them from chewing; they didn't want to ruin it.
Good Luck!
P.
HA! Thank God my son isn't the only one, and my nephew, and my niece, and the neighbor girl..... She will grow out of it. My son has ruined a lot of shirts that way - his parka looked like a gerbil had been nibbling the edge by his mouth! This too shall pass!!
Hi K., have you heard about sensory processing disorder? We're just looking into it now for our 3 year old and there are many conditions therein and lots of levels and nothing to panic about but it has really helped us to potentially understand what he is going through so we are eager to have him evaluated. Anyway, chewing like that falls very readily under the oral aspect of the disorder- I recently purchased the chew straws for our son- it may benefit your daughter as well, its a place, harmless, to put her chewing energy! good luck! R.
It is pretty normal and she will outgrow it.
I used to chew on my braids which were below my waist.
Then my teacher would tie them to my sash so I couldnt..
I was seven when I recall this taking place.
Think by eight I had outgrown it.
Have no idea why any child chews like that...one of my sons chewed on pen caps all the time. Another pencil erasers.
I do not remember that nagging did one single whit of good to stop it though. Went on until it stopped.
Anyway ...tincture of time and this, too , shall pass.
Best wishes and God bless
Grandmother Lowell.
hi,my daughter is also nearly 6.shes does not chew on things but may be her back adult teeth are coming in?my daughter just got one back molar,its big and maybe the chewing is helping with discomfort?ask to have a look at the very back of her gums.my daughter did have a little pain with hers.L.
Hi K.,
Hair and clothes chewing is extremely common. I'm not sure that there is any quick remedy, but I think it is somewhat of a "nervous habit". That being said, I think the more attention you give to it the worse it will get.
Obviously, I am not saying you should let her chew her clothes until they have holes in them, but, perhaps, intially ignore it and see if it will be self limiting and if not, perhaps, comment with a joke, "Is that tasty?" or, "Doesn't your mother feed you enough?" Stated with a little tickle will let your daughter know you wish she would stop without adding to her stress level. You could follow up with "I wish you would not chew on your clothes, you are going to ruin them".
If the problem is really engrained, you could try offering a substitute of something she can chew on. Of course, I'm not suggesting you give her a pacifier, but somthing similar that she can chew. (How many adults do you know who chew straws and pencils?)
Best Wishes,
J. L.
Hi there, my son starting doing the same thing at that age. It turned out his 6 year molars were coming in. It took a long time for them to come in and he did finally stop chewing on toys, his fingers and his shirts. It drove me crazy because he would suck on the collar of his shirt and stretch it out. Check her mouth out and good luck.
Hi K.,
My daughter did this for a few years too and eventually grew out of it. She is now 11. She had some life changes around that time...I split up with her father because of "bad habits" and bought a condo for the two of us and eventually met a great guy that I am married to now. I think it was a comfort mechanism. I think if you don't make a big deal out of it, she'll eventually move away from it. Good Luck!
My son did that turned out his molars were coming in.
My 9 year old son chews on his sleeves and also twists his hair around his fingers. I don't really worry about it. It's just a form of self soothing. He used to suck his thumb when he was little and outgrew that so I'm sure this won't last forever either.
