Needing advice

redplaydoh wrote: Lucas will be 4 in December and is CONSTANTLY putting stuff in his mouth or licking stuff. It might be a rock, a toy, grass, whatever he finds goes directly in his mouth. If we're out he just licks stuff... the window on the train (yuck), a trash can lid (YUCK YUCK), fences, etc. It's really gross but either it goes in his mouth or he licks it.
I still give him his pacifier just to keep his mouth busy and off of trash cans or public seats... and if I take it away and there is nothing new for him to explore with his mouth he chews his clothes. I thought by now this stuff would've stopped. DH and I are at our wits end.

Any advice on how to stop it?

my2monkeyboys replied: Welcome to the club! Will chews on almost everything! He hasn't had a paci since he was about 13 months old, so I don't think having/not having one really makes a difference. I have started taking away anything he licks/chews. If it's a toy or a shirt, whatever, it's mine for the rest of the day. That seems to be helping a bit. Otherwise though, I'm as lost as you are on this. It grosses me out and I just constantly try to keep him from doing it, esp out in public. BTW, he'll be 4 in a couple of months, so maybe it's an age-related thing.
Either way though I'd be happy to hear some ideas from someone else, too.

CantWait replied: Anthony is 3 and is still doing it.

redplaydoh replied: I'm at least glad to know I'm not the only one out there!! I was beginning to wonder about him....

Nina J replied: The first thing I thought of was Freud



I don't know why I thought of that

Maybe he's bored? Have you tried giving him a sucker or something to keep his mouth occupied??

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Well, can I be honest? Giving him the pacifier may be making it worse, and not helping. It is feeding his habit of putting things in his mouth. Not to mention the research done on how they are a safety hazzard in kids that old (I can tell you a horrible story if you want), cause severe speech delays, and cause horrible dental problems. I would kick the habit quick, because I would be willing to guess that is why he puts things in his mouth as often, out of habit. All kids put things in their mouths, but it seems to be a bit extreme from what you are explaining for a 4 year old (garbage can lid for example). It really is nothing more than a habit at this age (the pacifier, I mean). They don't "need" it. I would throw them all out, and start telling him that kids his age don't put things in their mouth unless it is food. Just my opinion, as a preschool teacher of 7 years who has seen countless children using these over a certain age. You'll be happy you did it. Better now than letting it go on. Good luck. Other than that, I would just be consistant in telling him big boys don't put things in their mouths that dont belong there.

Kaitlin'smom replied: so is this a boy thing? eeewwww. Kait only put things (other than food) for a short while. He is deffianlty old enought to understand NOT to do that. Do you ask him why he licked what ever he did? Shoot I hope you all find something to get them to stop...YUCK

Boo&BugsMom replied:
When Tanner is at T-ball practice he will put grass in his mouth. He started getting scolded for it and he stopped after awhile. Now he is getting into the habit of chewing his nails. I think sometimes it is bordum and not keeping busy enough at times. I think boys are worse offenders of the oral habits more so than girls on the whole.

mom2my2cuties replied:

I am sorry I don't mean to laugh, but all of a sudden, reading this, I had a flashback to my high school days. (And OMG! I can't believe it has already been almost 9 years!!!!!)

Well considering that in my junior and senior year, we had the ENTIRE baseball team suspeneded because they were paying each other eat grub worms, there might just not be any hope for those icky boys until they start wanting something other than mom to kiss

CantWait replied:
Opps.

luvmykids replied:
Colt went through a very short stage of this and that is exactly what the pediatrician said.

my2monkeyboys replied: That makes sense... Will usually does it when we're riding in the car, or he's sitting around watching tv. If he's playing with his army men or motorcycles or running around outside, whatever, he doesn't. Maybe we just need to keep them a little busier, huh?