If your child struggles with eating certain foods at family gatherings or tends to gag when eating, it could be a sign of oral sensitivities that their sensory receptors are sensitive to different textures. Here are some signs you may see if your child has oral hypersensitivities:
– Avoids certain textures of foods
– Is a “picky eater” even as they get older
– Dislikes having their teeth brushed
– Avoids putting their lips on forks and spoons
– Can’t swallow food easily or gags at the table
– Doesn’t like strong flavors (sweet or sour)
If your child has the opposite problem and chews or sucks on anything and everything, this could be a sign that they need more oral stimulation to prevent fidgeting and improve attention and focus in the classroom. Here are some signs you may see if your child has oral hyposensitivities:
– Chews on pencils and toys
– Sucks on shirts or sleeves
– Likes extreme food flavors (sweet, salty, spicy, sour)
– Swallows their food whole or takes large bites of food at a time
– Enjoys an electric toothbrush
If your child is distracted in the classroom and is always fidgeting or can’t stay seated in their chair, it could partly be caused by their need for sensory stimulation. Try sending them to school with different toys or objects they can chew or suck on to help those oral receptors calm down for better learning in the classroom. Here are some of our favorites:
– Chewy Tubes
– Raindrop Rainforest Necklace
– Chewy Pencil Toppers
– Chewable Gem Necklace
– Chewable Bracelets
– Soothasaurus Rubber Dinosaur
– Sensory Stixx
– GoGoChews Chewable Pencil Toppers
– Tactile Chewable Armband