Chew on This!

“If you take if from the left-hand side, then you have to take it from the right.”

Algebra has entered our house.  Thankfully, I enjoy math and have turned into an Algebra tutor.

“Wait a sec,” I added, “This doesn’t go here.”

I turned my pencil over to erase.  And tore a hole in the paper.

“What the heck?” I asked turning the pencil over for closer inspection, “Where’s the eraser?”

Instead of seeing the eraser in the pencil where it should have been there was a gaping hole.

 

Declan stopped bouncing on his trampoline and looked at me.

“Oh.  Sorry.” He said and started to bounce again.

“Declan, did you chew the eraser?” I asked.

“I SAID SORRY!” He yelled and returned to his bounce.

Bobby and I leaned in to look at the other pencils in the pencil container.  I began to flip them all over only to find all the erasers gone.  I inspected the wood to find it chewed.  I pulled out pens to see the end caps removed and the back ends destroyed.

And with my mouth open I looked at Declan.  Happily bouncing with excitement, chewing the wire on his headphones.

“Declan, stop chewing the wire.”

“Fine!” He yelled and continued his groove.

Then I thought back to all the headphones replaced for broken wires.  Had he really been chewing them all?

Later, as I was putting laundry away, I started to look at the pencils I was finding everywhere.  All completely chewed.  All missing all or large parts of the erasers.

The next day I was prepared.  I put his chewy tubes by his trampoline.  If he would like to chew on something while he bounced, okay.  Let’s give him what he is supposed to chew.

And it worked!  As he bounced, he chewed!  On what he was supposed to!

Until he began to walk around the house, and it was misplaced.

Another was found and chewed.  And I began a steady rotation of locating the lost one in preparation for when the current one was misplaced.

Then, the light bulb hit.  I bet someone else out there has been down this path, so I did the search.

Happy to say I found exactly what I was looking for. 

A chewy necklace.  One that he can wear, so even if he wants to put it down for a second it does not get misplaced.  Always available!

Santa’s elves thoughtfully put 2 in his stocking.  And another chewie for the end of a pencil.  Those clever elves! 😊

Seeing all my pencils without erasers was a big reminder of ALL of Declan’s sensory needs.  It is not just his body, but his mouth has sensory needs as well!

When I read about oral sensory needs online (found here) I learn:

1.      It is completely normal and typical to have the sensory preference and need to chew, suck, or bite on something…even when you are not hungry or thirsty. This applies to every single one of us…some just take it to a more intense level.

2.      Oral sensory input (biting, chewing, sucking,) is one of the most effective ways to self-regulate and support attention to task.

 

Happy to say that he chews on these now – when he is bouncing or even when he is just sitting watching his device.

(I am also currently wondering how many times he calls for food, stating vehemently he is hungry (even though he just ate) that he is in need to chew on something?  Still trying to figure that one out and will keep you posted!)

But this house gives two big thumbs up to sensory chew toys!