Any suggestions on how to best handle with oral fixations?

Hello!

My almost 4 year old daughter is constantly putting things in her mouth to suck/chew on. She sucks on her hair, clothing, toys and anything else she can find. She had a dummy as a baby but gave it up on her second birthday with no problems at all. Someone recently suggested that I should get her a specially designed rubber type necklace for kids that have an oral fixation to put in their mouth in place of other things but I am wondering if this will create an attachment or encourage her habit?

Posted by Renee, 29/7/13

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- - mom160421 said
  - 11 Dec 2020
    4:38 pm
The necklace sounds like a good idea for a short term solution.
- - mom118423 said
  - 26 May 2015
    9:00 pm
Perhaps go and see a speech pathologist for some professional advice?
- - dearest mom said
  - 08 Jul 2014
    10:03 am
There’s nothing you can do its a virus and my kids also had this doctors won’t give anything hope all works out.
- - fruitwood said
  - 05 Jun 2014
    9:37 pm
Try a reward chart, encourage her with stickers for not putting things in her mouth and then when she has 10 stickers, she’ll receive a prize.
- - christial said
  - 31 May 2014
    10:26 pm
Just remind her to stop every time you see her doing it. Habits are hard to break, give her some time.
- - Happymum-2 said
  - 31 May 2014
    12:37 pm
I would just take things off her and when you see her doing it ask her to stop, make her aware of it too
- - twinmum2 said
  - 30 May 2014
    2:45 pm
I think a necklace might encourage this behaviour for longer. Once she starts school she can’t be sucking on a necklace.
- - mummy liana said
  - 27 Mar 2014
    10:51 pm
there are some good comments here
- - emily_zilm said
  - 27 Mar 2014
    10:14 am
How did you end up going?
- - elisha_mumo2 said
  - 05 Mar 2014
    11:33 am
If you send me an email Hun I will post you a kids size silicone necklace it worked for my daughter to stop sucking her finger I was making BPA lead free silicone necklaces to sell at the markets and have some beads left if you’d like one elisha03_25@hotmail.com
- - ljsalomon said
  - 24 Jan 2014
    2:27 pm
How is she going now?
- - tobysmummy said
  - 08 Jan 2014
    5:15 pm
Maybe try her very own silicone teething necklace…?
- - coppin85 said
  - 30 Dec 2013
    8:03 pm
how is it going now?
- - kathryn said
  - 29 Dec 2013
    10:48 am
I would try to discourage the beahviour – our local health nurse is really good for coming up with suggestions for these sorts of issues.
- - ljsalomon said
  - 28 Dec 2013
    9:26 pm
Hope you find a way of breaking the habit and that it is a phase she will grow out of.
- - mggarner said
  - 21 Nov 2013
    1:18 pm
pin a teething ring or chew toy to their top and they can have one where ever they go
- - kjgarner said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    11:13 pm
Yes a necklace is a great idea
- - snoopy said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    9:01 pm
I think the necklace sounds like a good idea.
- - meltingmoment said
  - 31 Oct 2013
    6:36 am
My eldest daughter went through this phase – particularly with the play doh at kinder ( they say that is how she got hand foot and mouth. Hopefully she will grow out of it like mine did.
- - emilycost said
  - 03 Sep 2013
    7:48 pm
my son bites his finger (has since as long as i can remember he doesnt realise his doing it, its only one finger and has a perfect scar of his teeth) and OT suggested giving him a chew toy (they gave him a rubber thing), so maybe give your daughter something that shes allowed to chew on that she can carry with her