CHEWING AT NUGHT

[SANDYTAYLOR]

OUR SON CHEWS ON THINGS IN HIS ROOM AT NIGHT.  WE HAVE FOUND THE REMAINS OF MANY UNIDENTIFIABLE PLASTIC THINGS, STUFFED ANIMALS MISSING PIECES, INFECTED TOES AND MOST RECENTLY HE HAS BEEN CHEWING ON WOOD..  A WOODEN CROSS.  HE FINALLY CHEWED THE TIP/END OFF AND HIDE THE PIECES IN BETWEEN THE WINDOW AND THE FRAME.  HE HAS  TWO "CHEW STICKS"  WHICH I BOUGHT ON LINE FOR HIM FOR ORAL STIMULATION.  HE SAID HE SOMETIMES LOSES IT AND THAT IS WHEN HE GETS UP AND STARTS ROAMING HIS ROOM AND DRAWERS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING.

WE USE TO  GIVE HIM MELATONIN AFTER DINNER, HOWEVER HE HAS NOT BEEN TAKING ADDITIONAL MEDICATION IN THE AFTERNOON, SO WE GOT AWAY FROM GIVING HIM AN EVENING DOSE OF MELATONIN.

ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO TO HELP HIM?  I FEAR HE WILL SWALLOW SOMETHING OR GET SICK FORM TOXINS.


This discussion is related to obsessive chewing.

[margypops]

Is he taking any prescribed meds, has he got all his teeth have you had them checked, if we knew his age would be helpful to know what stage he is at.as he is taking well I assume he is 4 or older,  Why do you give him Melatonin.. to sleep ?

[jdtm]

Chewing is often a behaviour of anxiety.  You will note at the bottom of your posting is a dicussion "obsessive chewing" - one of the respondents is a medical doctor.  Hope this helps ....

[megochick101]

How old is he? Have you tried talking to him about why he feels the need to chew on things? I would definitely take out anything in his room that he could chew up and swallow during the night, like plastic/stuffed toys, and wooden objects. You don't want him choking during the night because he chewed a little piece off of a toy. I would clear out his room at nighttime and just leave his dresser(with only clothes in it) and his bed.