Do you remember when your child was teething and would munch on whatever they could get their hands on? Unfortunately, babies frequently use this habit to explore their environment. While you were able to stop them from putting everything in their mouths, they have started sucking on their own clothing as toddlers.
For older kids, a favourite teething toy can be a shirt’s collar, cuffs, or hem. By sucking or chewing on the substance, they might degrade it. This behaviour may have been condemned by your peers and teachers, and you worry that it may be a sign of poor mental health or developmental problems. Let’s examine your child’s behaviour of chewing on their clothing in more detail and discuss how you can help.
What Causes Children To Chew On Their Clothes?
Oral stimulation is extremely beneficial to your child’s development (1). As old as humanity itself, using our mouths to relax or regulate ourselves is a common practise. From infancy to toddlerhood, a child’s basic food and thirst needs are satisfied via a rooting reflex. Children frequently use pacifiers or their thumbs as a kind of self-soothing (2)
Is Chewing Your Shirt A Concern?
It doesn’t mean that when your child gets older you have to ignore this common and ingrained tendency just because it’s normal and ingrained. By the time they are three, most kids stop putting things in their mouths and experimenting with them in this way (3). You might wonder as a parent if your child’s habit of chewing on their shirts is actually a good way for them to express themselves.
Identify The Causes
Leave a Reply