Stop Chewing on Shirts! Understanding and Addressing Oral Sensory Needs in Kids
McKennlie Provost, COTA
If your child constantly chews on their shirt collars, sleeves, pencils, or even toys, you’re not alone! Many parents worry about this habit—wondering if it’s behavioral, anxiety-related, or just a phase. In pediatric occupational therapy, we often see children who chew as a way to meet an oral sensory need—their body’s way of seeking calming or organizing input through the mouth.
Why Kids Chew
Chewing provides deep pressure and proprioceptive input to the jaw and mouth, which can help regulate the nervous system. This input can be naturally soothing—similar to how adults might chew gum, snack when stressed, or bite their nails without realizing it. For children, especially those with sensory processing differences, the oral system may be under- or over-responsive. This means they might seek out extra oral input to feel “just right.”
Common triggers for chewing include:
Feeling anxious or overwhelmed (e.g., at school or in busy environments)
Difficulty focusing or staying alert
Transitions between tasks or settings
Fatigue, boredom, or overstimulation
Needing deep pressure to stay calm and grounded
Children with sensory processing challenges, ADHD, or autism spectrum disorder often have a higher need for proprioceptive input and may use chewing as a self-regulation tool.
How To Support Oral Sensory Needs
The goal isn’t to stop chewing entirely, but rather to redirect it into safe, appropriate, and effective sensory strategies. Here are some practical ways to help:
Offer Safe Alternatives
Provide chewable necklaces, bracelets, or pencil toppers made from medical-grade silicone.
Encourage chewing on safe items rather than clothing or objects not meant for the mouth.
Allow your child to choose colors or shapes they like—it increases ownership and compliance.
Incorporate Heavy Work Activities
Heavy work (activities that involve pushing, pulling, lifting, or carrying) gives the body organizing proprioceptive input that can reduce the need for oral seeking. Try:
Animal walks (bear, crab, frog jumps)
Tug-of-war or pushing weighted bins
Carrying a laundry basket or backpack with a few books
Wheelbarrow walks or jumping on a trampoline
These activities “feed” the sensory system in the same way chewing might - helping the child feel centered and calm.
Build An Oral Sensory Diet
Incorporate foods and activities that provide oral input throughout the day:
Chewy foods: bagels, licorice, dried fruit, or beef jerky
Crunchy foods: carrots, pretzels, apple slices, popcorn
Sucking and blowing: use straws, blow bubbles, or blow cotton balls across a table using a straw
Vibration: use an electric toothbrush or vibrating teether for oral stimulation before focus-heavy tasks
A consistent oral sensory diet can help reduce shirt chewing by giving the mouth the input it craves in a controlled way.
Address Emotional Regulation
Sometimes chewing is less about sensory needs and more about managing big feelings. Help your child build awareness of their emotions by:
Using visuals like a “feelings chart” or “zones of regulation” board
Practicing breathing exercises or mindfulness breaks
Creating a calm-down space with sensory tools (weighted blanket, fidgets, soft toys, visuals)
In Conclusion:
Chewing isn’t a “bad” behavior—it’s communication. Your child’s body is sending a message: “I need help to feel calm and in control.” By understanding and responding to those needs with empathy and structure, you can help your child find safe, effective ways to regulate. With the right support, children can replace shirt chewing with strategies that help them feel focused, comfortable, and confident in their daily routines.