Oral Seeking Sensory Behaviors

The oral sensory system involves the sensations related to the mouth, including taste, texture, and temperature. People, especially children, may engage in oral sensory-seeking behaviors as a way to fulfill sensory needs or seek stimulation. Some examples include:

·         Chewing or biting on objects, clothing, or fingers

·         Putting objects in the mouth to explore their texture or taste (past the age of 2)

·         Thumb sucking or using a pacifier (past the age of 4)

What can be done to help decrease these behaviors?

·         Eat spicy or sour foods such as spicy sauces, sour candy, limes, lemons, pickles, grapefruits, mustard, and dried cranberries

·         Eat chew foods such as fruit leathers, dried bananas, jerky, hard granola bars, licorice, bagels, and tootsie rolls

·         Eat crunchy foods like carrots, apples, crisp crackers, rice cakes, hard candies, nuts, chips, and pretzels

·         Sucking through a straw.  Drink not only water through a straw, but suck applesauce, smoothies, and yogurt through a shortened straw

·         Use varied temperatures.  Warmed up food paired with cold food can “surprise” and wake up the mouth.  Smoothies, frozen berries and grapes, frozen bagel, and popsicles are a few ideas.

·         Chew gum! (if your child is over the age of 4 and will not swallow it)

·         Vibration.  Vibrating toothbrushes, z-vibes, and vibrating teethers are great options.

·         Chewies- there are many oral sensory tools easily available online.  Search for “chewelry.”  These tools come in a variety of densities, strengths, textures, colors, and shapes.