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Have you ever wondered why babies suck their thumbs? Or why chewing on crunchy foods helps you while doing homework and learning? Or why some children suck on clothes or bite on a pencil? Or why certain children (parents then 3 years old) still put non-edible objects in their mouths?
Chewing is a way to process stimuli. In this article, we’ll explore chewing as sensory information processing. But first I discuss the basics of the chewing need.
Oral motor skills develop when children are still in the womb. They are born with the ability to suck, swallow, and breathe. The mouth does not only function for receiving nutrition. Newborns learn to discover their environment through the mouth in the first place. Babies suck on pacifiers or on their thumb to be soothed. We know them, children who can continue to suck their thumb for a long time. Some children replace thumb sucking with gnawing on pencils or sucking on collars and sleeves. Putting things in the mouth at an older age is more common in children with sensory information processing problems.
Chewing or biting something has a beneficial effect on stimulus processing. It contributes to the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, alertness and attention. Chewing crunchy foods (carrot / bell pepper / celery sticks) while studying is therefore a great way to increase alertness and concentration. Drinking from a straw or water bottle (e.g. sucking) will also help to regulate the level of alertness.
Chewing in a rhythmic, repetitive and even motion with moderate pressure (think chewing gum) has an effect on the area of the brain that regulates emotions and behavior (limbic system). If you feel angry and chew, this can have a positive effect on the limbic system. Chewing then calms you down and reduces stress.
Biting is a way to regulate stimuli and is widely used to prevent overstimulation .
So now you will understand that chewing and sucking is an important part of your child’s well-being. It helps your child to regulate stimuli. So you’re selling your child short by making them stop sucking their thumbs or chewing on pencils. It is important to offer your child a suitable alternative. Replace the behavior with suitable alternatives.
Chew jewelry has two main functions: it provides direct sensory input and oral stimulation for the mouth (perfect for those children who put inedible objects in their mouths to seek oral stimulation). Chewing products indirectly regulate alertness and stress (as explained above). But the chew jewelry also has an advantage for parents: finally an end to the wet sleeves and stretched collars!
I am not advocating that chewing jewelry is the solution to achieve more calming and stress reduction and better concentration in your child. But it is indeed a useful product that can be part of a broader approach to sensory information processing. [Read Valuable Tips for Kids with Chewing Needs]
What does your child chew or bite on? How do you and school deal with that? Share your experience with us in a comment below this blog.
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