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My daugher is 2.5 years old. She is an only child. Since she was born she has been fixated with putting things in her mouth. Orginally it started out as just a pacifier, then it it was teething rings and pieces of clothing or her blanket. We always thought it was just teething and would take the non appropriate things from her (clothing, paper, etc) and replace it with the pacifier or teething ring. Well as she has goten older and especially in the last 6 months, she has been putting everything in her mouth. She will take the small scrunchies out of her hair (which I no longer use) and swallow them. I routininly pull string out of her bottom when when I change her (she chews on the blankets at night & I have since switched her blanket, but she also chews on her clothes, carpets, books,etc). When changing her diaper I have found digested paper, strings from towels or blankets and scrunchies. She will even pull her hair out and eat it. So I sometimes find hair balls in her diaper.
I did speak with a DR. and he told me to make sure I have nothing dangerous around the house (batteries, coins) and he even gave me a prescripion to get blood work done.
This is very scary to me. Does anyone else have experience with this and if so do you have any suggestions. Are there any Dr.s out there on CD that can tell me if I should be asking my Dr. other questions. Just any suggestions at all would really be appreciated.
My daugher is 2.5 years old. She is an only child. Since she was born she has been fixated with putting things in her mouth. Orginally it started out as just a pacifier, then it it was teething rings and pieces of clothing or her blanket. We always thought it was just teething and would take the non appropriate things from her (clothing, paper, etc) and replace it with the pacifier or teething ring. Well as she has goten older and especially in the last 6 months, she has been putting everything in her mouth. She will take the small scrunchies out of her hair (which I no longer use) and swallow them. I routininly pull string out of her bottom when when I change her (she chews on the blankets at night & I have since switched her blanket, but she also chews on her clothes, carpets, books,etc). When changing her diaper I have found digested paper, strings from towels or blankets and scrunchies. She will even pull her hair out and eat it. So I sometimes find hair balls in her diaper.
I did speak with a DR. and he told me to make sure I have nothing dangerous around the house (batteries, coins) and he even gave me a prescripion to get blood work done.
This is very scary to me. Does anyone else have experience with this and if so do you have any suggestions. Are there any Dr.s out there on CD that can tell me if I should be asking my Dr. other questions. Just any suggestions at all would really be appreciated.
2 of my children were exactly the same way, and actually so was I. I ate non-food items until I was VERY old. (Paper and chapsticks were my favorite!) My daughter used to eat whole cans of playdough and my son loves to eat fuzzies off of blankets. My husband just pulled a butt-floss string out of him the other day!!! Those are just a few of the MANY things that have been digested at my house!
Our pediatrician said that it is not really a problem (there is a disorder called Pica or something like that) until they are like 5 or 6. True to his word, my daughter outgrew it right around when she turned 5. My son is only 4 so we will have to see what the next year brings.
I would definitely make sure all chokable things are out of reach, and not worry too much!
Have you talked to the doc about this? I would be concerned too. I don't have any suggestions, except what you are already doing, keeping items out of her reach. Good luck!
Thanks, for your comments and suggestion so far. I will be getting blood work and then going to see the my pediatrician and maybe even a specialist. I don't know what type of specialist, but someone other than just my dr. as so far they have not really provided any good suggestions.
I imagine the bloodwork your Dr. suggested is to find out how your daughters iron level is. Often times, if a child has low iron, they will eat non-food items. It is probably just a phase she is going through. Just be very careful that everything, even possible peeling paint, it not available to her.
My twin boys are almost 9 and to this day I have to watch them very closely. They don't usually swallow stuff but do put EVERYTHING in there mouth and chew on most anything. I have to make sure nothing small enough to choke on is in there reach most of the time. We had a pretty bad scare back in April when one of them choked on a magnetic marble he found at a friends house. It was a long night in the ER that time. I wish I understood why they do it. I could really use some help too.
huh i have never heard of this. I know it sounds mean but you could always put chili pepper on her fingers or on an item she likes to chew on. I bet she wouldnt chew on it again....lol. But that is probably a bad idea seeing she is obviouslly still young (in diapers), and babies can have allergic reactions to things. But it is a thought chili pepper is better than hair and scrunchies i suppose.
When I was young I had an oral fixation but it was strictly with sucking a blanket. I did not stop until I was 13 (I think only cause I was getting braces). My mom tried EVERYTHING. She would put the no bite nail enamel on the silk of my blankets and I turned to the pillow case. As the previous poster said maybe something like chilie pepper or cyanne+ oil on somethig she chews? Even that "no bite" nail enamel .Not on her fingers though babies rub there sleepy eyes Remember a tiny bit of heat goes a long way. Good luck. I think your baby will grow out of it.
huh i have never heard of this. I know it sounds mean but you could always put chili pepper on her fingers or on an item she likes to chew on. I bet she wouldnt chew on it again....lol. But that is probably a bad idea seeing she is obviouslly still young (in diapers), and babies can have allergic reactions to things. But it is a thought chili pepper is better than hair and scrunchies i suppose.
Thanks, I have tried that nail stuff & no luck. I was thinking abou putting some chili powder in her hair moisturizer since she pulls her hair out & eats it. However, I am worried about if she were to wipe her eyes with the chili powder on her fingernails. I am getting blood work done today. Hopefully in a few days I will have a better since of what my options are. I really appreciate all of the responses. For people who don't know, this is a very scary thing. I am always worried about her putting something dangerous in her mouth. Again, thanks for everyone's help.
there is a medical disorder called Pica, which is literally eating non nutritive substances. Google it. I'm not current on what the treatments are.
Also - regarding magnets - if you have a kid like this or a toddler in your home, get rid of all of your Magnetics type toys or lock them away! If ingested, the magnets can be fatal because if you swallow more than one they attract thru intestine walls, causing a blockage/rupture....the magnetic parts of these toys are small, and can come out of the larger connecting parts.
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I could really use some help too.
Remember a tiny bit of heat goes a long way. Good luck. I think your baby will grow out of it.
