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Mom on the Clock #009
“Why Is Everything Going in Their Mouth?” — Understanding Oral Seeking (and What to Do About It)
Eliana Savitsky
June 26, 2025
✨ Hey there!
You’ve finally baby-proofed the whole house, and then boom—your kid is chewing on a phone charger. Again.
It might seem like they’re just trying to drive you nuts (or snack on plastic), but oral seeking is actually your child’s way of self-regulating and getting the sensory input their little nervous system craves.
And here's the twist: giving them safe, strong sensations now can actually help reduce oral seeking later.
Here’s what we’ve got for you this week:
Tools, tips, and tasty tricks to help your oral-seeking kiddo calm their body and organize their brain—while keeping your car keys out of their mouth.
✨ First Things First: Quick Wins for You
When your child chews, sucks, or licks everything in sight, these oral-sensory activities meet that need with purpose.
🍋 Sour Snacks – Lemons, sour gummies, or tart yogurt offer a zingy mouthfeel that satisfies oral seekers.
→ Just a little goes a long way.
🧊 DIY Ice Pops – Freeze water, fruit purée, or yogurt in molds. The cold + resistance combo is a sensory jackpot.
→ Grab molds here
🪥 Textured Teethers – Even for older toddlers! Use firm, textured teethers that give lots of input.
→ Try this one
🥒 Crunchy Foods – Think cucumbers, pretzels, or freeze-dried fruit—great for jaw input and snack time.
🍋 A Party Trick I Didn’t Plan
A few months ago, I had an engagement party to attend and brought my little guy along. He had just started walking, which meant all he wanted to do was sprint across the room. I scooped him up, needing to distract him quickly. I glanced over at the bar and saw a lemon wedge.
Desperate? Yes.
Effective? Surprisingly so.
I handed it to him and—no joke—he devoured that thing like it was a cupcake. No sour face. No flinch. Just full-on lemon chomping.
That showed me how it gave his mouth the strong sensory input he was seeking—and it totally reset his system for the next hour.
👅 What Is Oral Seeking?
When babies or toddlers are constantly mouthing toys, chewing shirts, or sucking on their fingers, it’s often because they’re orally seeking. That means they crave sensations in the mouth to help their nervous system regulate.
This is normal in early development, but if that need isn’t met, it can stick around longer than it needs to—showing up in ways that are distracting or even unsafe (like chewing pencils or biting others).
The good news? With the right input, their system learns to calm without needing to chew everything in sight.
🔄 Activities That Help Integrate the Reflex
Here’s a simple oral-sensory routine to meet those needs head-on:
Cold + Crunchy (1x/day):
Offer a crunchy snack (like cucumbers or freeze-dried fruit) and a frozen straw pop after school or daycare.Sour Session (2x/week):
Let your child taste lemon slices, tart yogurt, or a sour gummy with supervision.Teether Time (Daily, 5–10 mins):
Use a firm, textured teether after meals or before bed—especially if they’re chewing sleeves or toys.Bubble Blow & Straw Sips (Fun add-ons):
Blowing bubbles and drinking thick liquids through a straw give their oral muscles a mini workout.
🧠 Why It Works
The mouth is packed with sensory receptors. Giving your child strong input through taste, temperature, and resistance helps calm their system, improve focus, and reduce oral fixation.
Over time, they learn to regulate on their own—no shirt sleeves or couch cushions required.
Wrapping Up for Today
When your kiddo seems like a tiny goat chewing their way through your belongings, know this: they’re not being “bad.” They’re communicating.
Give their mouth a job to do, and you’ll see the magic.
Big high-five,
Eliana, OT & Mom
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