Chewies and Chewy Jewelry

As an OT, I see lots of kids with oral motor needs; kids that bite, chew and suck on their fingers, kids that chew on non food items, put things in their mouths constantly, etc.  One thing that classroom teachers and school staff question is what to do about it.  There are all kinds of chewy pencil toppers, chew tubes and chewy jewelry that can be found- my favorite company to order therapy related items from is the Therapy Shoppe. Here is a link to their oral motor products:  http://www.therapyshoppe.com/category/15-oral-motor-fun

There are now some necklaces and bracelets that actually LOOK like real jewelry, and are not so obvious as far as what they are being used for.  This jewelry is made from silicone beads, and are food safe grade.  They are often called "teething necklaces," and are also worn by breastfeeding moms for their babies who are teething.  I found this web site called "Jelly Strands" that has a variety of colors and styles to choose from, and look quite a bit more like a regular piece of jewelry than some of the other options that are available out there.  They also have a break away safety clasp. Check out Jelly Strands here: http://www.jellystrands.com/

One of my little friends wearing a silicone bead necklace to match her cute little outfit!

You can also buy silicone beads in bulk, just do a google search and you will find lots of options.

I personally think that we really need to look at the age of the student when we are considering providing oral motor stimulation or "chewy" items for them to have to satisfy their oral motor needs.  I would much rather see an elementary age child chew a piece of sugar free gum or have a chewy pencil top on their pencil vs. wearing a chewy necklace around their neck to chew on (particularly if it's a boy- how many older elementary age boys wear a necklace to class?).  But it is good to have options, and it is good to have options for kids that do not call negative attention to them from their peers.