DS sucking on things...

[mummydreamer]

so DS is nearly 6, but he's still a sucker and it's disgusting! He sits there with his hands in his mouth sucking, he sucks the collars of his shirts, he sucks the string and ball thing on his hat, it's gross!! How do i stop it? I keep telling him 'get your hand out of your mouth!' 'get your shirt out of your mouth!' etc, and i've started threatening with buying him a dummy coz he sucks on things so much......is this something i should just leave or is it something i should stop? i personally think it's yuck, i don't mind toddlers having things in their mouths, but for a boy who's nearly 6, i don't think it's a good look

[toomanyshoes]

let me know when you work it out! DD is 5 and still sucks her thumb, I've tried everything

[HotI]

Does he have any other sensation oddities (sorry can't think of the proper words)? Are there different food textures he loves or won't eat? Just wondering if he is trying to meet a need for oral stimulation through sucking

There are age appropriate oral stim things you can get, and you could say you can suck on this but not your clothes etc so there are more guidelines about what and where he can suck. But it prob depends on why you think he is doing it, whether it is just habit or there is a need.

[mummydreamer]

no HotI, there's nothing else i can think of that seems 'odd' i think i know what you're getting at...i mean we do joke that he has obsessive compulsive tendencies, but i don't think he's doing it as a need, i think it actually is just a habit? he's pretty good with food...i mean he's not, he's fussy Lol, but i haven't noticed him being funny with certain foods like texture or colour, etc, just a typical 5 year old i think. i dunno....what are the age appropriate things i can get? maybe i should look into them....?