Sidebar Sidebar Sidebar

Does needing to chew mean my child has Autism or sensory processing disorder?

23rd Aug 2016

Question: I'm very new to all of this oral sensory topic.  I'm trying to understand it better as my 12 year old daughter shows significant signs for the need to chew and always has (I just thought it was teething and a phase).  The one thing I have noticed in my reading about the subject is that autism is connected to it.  Is that always true or are there people out there who ju …
read more

Do Chew Tools Increase the Need to Chew?

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 20th May 2016

Question:  My son has ADHD and Anxiety, he spends a lot of time chewing/sucking on clothes, plastic, and other non- edible items. Would your chewies encourage this sensory seeking behavior or will it help him to eventually not need to mouth everything?   My son is 7 years old.  Thank you!  . . Great question.  Although each child is different, having a chew …
read more

10 Tips for Kids Who Need to Chew - An Oral Sensory Diet

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 11th Apr 2016

Have you ever craved crunchy foods?  Or chewed gum?  Ever chewed on your pen caps while concentrating or bit your fingernails when nervous?  We all have oral sensory habits to some extent. For children with sensory needs and/or Autism, however, oral sensory input can play a particularly important role.  Chewing throughout the day (especially during times …
read more

Drooling - How to Target & Address the Causes

Posted by Debra C. Lowsky, MS, CCC-SLP on 29th Feb 2012

Drooling is a normal process during infancy and toddler stages, as tooth eruption causes increased saliva production.  This excess saliva can be difficult for the baby/toddler to manage, and so it may spill out of the mouth.  Past this normal stage, however, drooling can become a social and developmental problem. Before beginning any drooling remediation program, there are many fact …
read more