Sensory Seekers.

There are a lot of ways my twins are alike...

 but mostly... they aren't.

One of the issues we deal with daily is oral sensitivities. You would think that it's not that big of a deal, and it isn't in the grand scheme of things- you get used to it.

Cale is hypersensitive when it comes to oral sensitivity (quite common for children on the spectrum).

Characteristics:

dislikes having teeth brushed and/or face washed

Cale is doing much better with the brushing, but if you watch him while he brushes... he keeps his lips off the toothbrush, while the rest of us normally close ours.

has a limited food repertoire and/or may avoid certain food textures - especially mixed textures

He doesn't like anything that has "pieces" in your mouth, ie: peas, beans, small pieces of pasta (only likes thicker noodles, like bowtie/rotini/penne). Mixing is definitely not option! He DOES like crunchy foods: raw veggies (carrots and celery are favs), pretzels, crackers, etc.

will take their food off the fork or spoon using only their teeth, keeping their lips retracted

Always. It's funny, when you pay attention to him eating, he keeps his lips off the fork but he knows he has to chew with his mouth closed so it's really awkward for him, heh.

will gag easily when eating and may only get food down by taking a drink with it

He has gotten MUCH better about this, but still happens depending on the texture.

may exhibit signs of tactile defensiveness such as; disliking being touched, avoiding messy play - glue, play doh, mud, sand, finger paints, etc. - , or, may not pick up eating utensil or food with a grasp that involves the palm of his hand

Again, he has gotten better with the way he holds his utensils (he used to use only his fingertips). And he will play with "messy" things, but he wipes and his hands and face every 30 seconds while doing so.

Dealing with these issues day in and day out can be frustrating, but again- it's not the worst thing in the world. It's important to remember that the mouth is an extenstion of the body. It causes him anxiety just like anything else and you can't force him to do anything he isn't ready to do (Nathan struggles with this) or else meltdown ensues- and it just isn't worth it, just to get your way.

There isn't a whole lot you can do about it, other than encourage different textures and provide opportunities to stimulate the mouth in other ways.

Aww... remember his sweet paci? Weighted down with a burpcloth to strengthen his sucking reflex. He always used it upside down with it tucked inside his bottom lip- so sweet!

And of course, there are exceptions to every rule ;)

On the opposite end, Brynn is an oral sensory seeker (hyposensitive).

they love and crave intense flavors, i.e., sweet, sour, salty, spicy and usually become "condiment kids"

Brynn is notorious for eating jalapenos out of the jar, sucking the salt off pretzels, eating spoonfuls of salsa and munching on lemons. She doesn't appear to enjoy it actually, but she does it again and again and again regardless.

may actually avoid mixed textures as well since it is difficult to chew and swallow properly when you can't "feel" the food in your mouth correctly
Brynn doesn't really have many issues with mixing, but she does struggle with swallowing- usually because she has too much food in her mouth.

they are the messy eaters; getting food all over their face and/or leaving bits of food in their mouths at the end of a meal
It's been a long-running joke that B is the messiest eater on the planet.I'm not talking about normal "kids are messy" stuff, I'm talking about "How did you get it THERE?!" kind of eating. It seems so simple:  put yogurt on spoon, put spoon in mouth.   How in the world she manages to get yogurt in her hair/ear/on the back of her neck (etc etc etc) is beyond me.

they often take large bites and stuff their mouths, or even "pocket" food in their cheeks

We have to encourage Cale to eat more than one green bean at a time, not Brynn... most likely she's on seconds (or thirds) before you're half way thru.

are inclined to not chew their food thoroughly before swallowing (at risk for choking)
Again, she inhales- not eats.

drool excessively beyond the teething stage
It took me a while to put these two together for some reason. We both thought she was doing it on purpose (and could be- but it's intersting to know that it's also related to sensory).

and, they always seem to have something in their mouths; toys, pens, pencil tips, gum, candy, or inedible objects (i.e., paper clips, rubber bands, shirt sleeves and collars, strings...anything!)

This is our biggest issue: safety. At nearly five-years-old, she should not be putting these things in her mouth! EVERYTHING goes in her mouth. She has two favorite fingers, has also swallowed three pair of earrings, toys, paper, crayons, pillows, sheets, clothes, hair clips, channel changers, keys... it all goes in her mouth. It's obviously dangerous and we just can't figure out how to stop it.

Last night, I sent her to brush her teeth before bedtime. She had to go to our bathroom because the littles were out of toothpaste. She was literally in there only a few minutes and came out with blood all over her chin and cheeks. I mean, dripping. Nathan's razor was also beside the sink and she had put it in her mouth. It cut her in three places.

I realize it probably makes me look like a terrible parent bc my child cut her own mouth up with a razor- but it's not like I handed it to her or left it in the floor for an infant. She was in my bathroom and for whatever reason, decided to get it and put it in her mouth.

The OT has said to give her sugar-free gum to keep her mouth stimulated and she won't put the other things in- and it has worked pretty much every time. But we can't keep gum in her mouth.

If you have a sensory seeker, what do you do to keep them stimulated and avoid dangerous situations?! I know we could be wiping her mouth more often with different textures (paper towel, washcloth, babywipe) but I honestly don't know what else to do.

I did find these suggestions this morning at MommyPoppins that I will try:

1. Use a vibrating toothbrush
2. Sip seltzer
3. Lick lemons (what about her tooth enamel?)
4. Crunch ice
5. Use chewelry
6. Make smoothies and suck through a straw
7. practice chewing gum and blowing bubbles
8. Use crazy straws
9. blow whistles
10. Make and blow pinwheels

It should be noted that I actually struggle with the same issue! I still put everything in my mouth and CRAVE textures (specifically light carbonation, crunchy, or gummy- but I don't do well with mushy. Ick) and strong flavors. I am fully aware that the main reason I snack at night when I'm not hungry is because I just want something in my mouth.

I guess I just wanted to get it out there that these issues exist, share some tips, and maybe get some in return! At least I added some visually pleasing stimulation, right? :)