chewing on clothes, cutting clothes, speech problems

My seven year old son has been chewing on the collars of his clothes, and today he cut his shirt at school. He seems to be clumsy, and is constantly touching things, family members. He can't seem to leave things alone. He does have a speech problem, cannot pronounce "th", "r". We constantly have to ask him to repeat himself. Occasionally wets the bed and picks his nose. Loud noises bother him, fireworks, concerts. He is destructive with toys and doesn't care about ruining his clothes. He usually acts without thinking and gets into trouble for it. He recently broke my bedroom door because he wanted to climb on it. He does climb a lot and jumps off of things. I also have to talk to him very loudly just to get an answer out of him, it seems like he doesn't know what was just said to him a lot. I am just wondering if anyone would know why this may be happening or if I should be concerned

[margypops]

Perhaps a good idea to focus on his positive side and try praising him when you see him doing something right, some of the 'behaviors you mention are like any other child of this age displays, nose picking? I dont no one child who doesnt do this, a lot of kids dont like loud noises and firworks.It may be good to take a look at the fact your expectations of him may be causing some problems. Has he any siblings he could be competing with for attention , Good Luck

[specialmom]

Please google sensory processing/integration disorder.  Look into sensory seeking, auditory processing and motor planning.  My son has sensory integration disorder and had many of the issues you describe.  He couldn't cope very well though.  How does your child do in school, for example?  Anyway, we've had tremendous success doing activities that address my son's nervous system.  Many things have greatly improved or gone away completely.

Chewing on clothes is often a coping mechanism and a way kids soothe themselves.  It is maybe annoying to adults but is pretty harmless.  You could try giving him something appropriate to chew on like a straw or coffee stirer.  

It could also be nothing as it is sometimes hard to tell.  There is a fine line sometimes between normal behavior and a problem so it all comes down to how your son copes.  If he does alright with school and peers then he's a kid with a few quirks (just the way I personally like them!)-----  otherwise, look deeper.
Good luck.

[aberry]

My daughter just turned 8 and she has been chewing on her shirts for over a year now.  When I ask her why she says "she got nervious".  She is in the gifted program at school, made the A--B honor roal,  is a very pleasant child to be around,  She is quite a strugling perfectionist as her mother has been all her life.  All I can find says the chewing is a normal way of reducing stress, but I believe there must be a better way,  a professional can teach her to accomplish this in her mind and not with her mouth.   I am going to take her to our local center for visit and see who they would recommend for peds patients.  I don't believe in lettting "things" work them selves out.  I believe the professional way is better especially if there are other factors to consider life her personality style,  She says she has no friends but I know she does,  She has trouble making friends at shcool or thinks she does.  She says she has bad days every day.  All this stuff adds up to more help than I can give her.  All we can do as parents is give them the ability to deal with their issues as they grow up.  We can't keep them from having issues!  

[specialmom]

Hi,  good luck with your daughter.  I will tell you that my advice on chewing came from a professional who deals with children.  My son at a young age exhibited certain things that lead us to an occupational therapist.  Chewing is common to many things such as sensory integration but also to plain old anxiety.  I'm not sure where she fits into things but may indeed chew clothing due to nervousness and anxiety.  It is never a bad idea to seek help for our children as I have done so.  I also spent almost two decades as a clinical psychologist.  Anxiety is very treatable.  Perhaps not as you suggest in that people can just work it out in their head-----  if it were that easy, the world would be a different place.  But there is definately help available.  But chewing is something that IS a coping mechanism and finding appropriate ways to do it is helpful to children.  Good luck.