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Maxwell has always been the “Let’s put everything in our mouth” kind of kid. It’s like that stage that toddlers go through at like 18 months and eventually grow out of? Except for he never did. Eventually we had to find a more appropriate and safe method for him to fulfill his sensory needs
Why do we do sensory activities?
Children on the spectrum operate a little different than you and I. One time in a demonstration I handed out a bag full of different items; a cotton ball, some sandpaper, a pipe-cleaner etc. I then asked the audience to place their hand in the bag and tell me what they felt. We got responses like, “Sandpaper, paper, that thing you use to craft” etc. They were able to distinguish between each different object because they could feel the rough sandpaper separate from the fuzzy pipe cleaner.
For those on the spectrum sometimes this is a hard task to fulfill. Imagine placing your hand in the bag and feeling every bump on the sandpaper, feeling every piece of fuzz on the pipe cleaner and the cold metal that the fuzz is attached too. You immediately hear the sound and the smell that come from all the object in the bag and you quickly begin to feel overwhelmed. This is what it’s like to have sensory processing. Those on the spectrum process their sensory input in great detail and sometimes this means that more attention is required to one sense so that the others can operate more efficiently.
This is the case for my youngest. Because of my knowledge of this I knew that I needed to keep him safe, but be able to provide safe alternatives for his oral sensory needs.
Here are 5 oral sensory activities that have worked for our family.
1. Crunchy food at Breakfast
To gain Maxwell’s oral sensory needs he attempts to suck on his food. When he does this it almost looks like he is sucking on a bottle or pacifier. One of the things I do first thing in the morning to help “wake up his tastebuds” and encourage chewing instead of sucking I will give him a crunchy snack while I cook him breakfast.
Most times this crunchy snack is cereal but it could literally be anything; potato chips, hard candies, etc anything that encourages a crunch and subsequently chewing.
Right now, Cinnamon Toast Crunch is our favorite crunchy snack.
2. Z Vibe before meals
Maxwell has a habit of pocketing his food. Sometimes he will pocket his food so well that hours pass and I haven’t noticed it… scary.
We use the Z-vibe a lot during the morning time. This is a vibrating tool with a chewy at the end. We brush Max’s cheeks and lips this also helps to “wake up his taste buds.” If you kiddo will let you it works best if you can get it inside their mouth. If they allow this aim for the back teeth, tongue and their gum line. This will allow for the most efficient work. Maxwell does not allow us to do this yet but he responds well to the z-vibe on his cheeks for our purposes!
We received our Z-vibe through the first steps program, however the link below is one very similar to ours. It has worked wonders!
3. Replace non food items with chewy
This is an activity that takes place all day. I try to keep several chewies close by. When Maxwell picks up a non food item like a car or the pom poms for crafts that he is constantly getting into I take the item and hand him the chewy. When I replace I always say “this is not for chewing on. Let’s try this instead.” I always use verbal cues with my actions to reinforce what the “appropriate” behavior is.
There are several different types of “chewies.” Here are a few that are similar to what we use in our home.
4. Verbal Cue for Chew
Although simple this is something that we also do everyday during each meal time. This is exactly what it sounds like. When I notice Maxwell sucking on his food I brush his cheek with my finger and say “chew” or “don’t forget to chew” and open and close my hands. This verbal reminder seems to help him to focus on what he is doing at the time, eating. This happens a lot when Maxwell gets tired or overstimulated. Because of this we try to avoid food around nap time and bed time and we have had less trouble with pocketing.
5. Sensory Oral Activities
There are several other adjustments that we have made in Maxwell’s daily routine to aid in his oral sensory seeking behavior.
First, we switched to a straw as quickly as we could. This uses different muscles in his mouth than a sippy cup does and allows to both strengthen the muscles that were not in use for other tasks and also help to “awake” the mouth like we talked about above. When starting out we used the bear sippy cup listed below. This allows for liquid to travel up the straw, but not go back down, making it a great transition piece from sippy cup to straw.
After transitioning from the sippy cup to the straw, you can add smoothies, yogurt, apple sauce and other thick drinks for your child to suck up with the straw. This too, will allow them to “wake up,” their mouths. There are several other activities that can be done, once your child is able to successfully use a straw including both blowing and sucking up different objects such as pom poms to create extra work for the muscles in their mouth.
6. Make Sure to be Covering other Basic Sensory Needs
Lastly, in order to help the oral seeker, make sure that you are addressing all of their sensory needs throughout the day. Do they need more heavy work built in throughout the day? Do they need to play in a simple sensory bin a couple times throughout the morning? What other sensory goals are being neglected that could be fulfilled?
Watch your child throughout the day, what are they constantly drawn to? How can you get these needs met with basic household products? You are doing better than you think you are. Keep your head up. Stay strong.
Let’s support Each other.
Love,
Another Autism Mama
Thank you for joining us on our Autism Journey. We hope to provide your family with the support we are always in desperate need for. If you liked this post feel free to check us out on Instagram, Pinterest and Tiktok at Asdmama1017.
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