Oral children - chewing, sucking need - what do u give them

[meemee]

so dd has always, always been a v. oral child.

she is 8 1/2 now and is STILL oral (she was hugely oral as a baby) and i expect that to continue all her life.

what else is there apart from gum? btw she learnt to chew gum without swallowing at a really young age. 

thankfully she doesnt chew on pencils yet. but even as a baby she would feel toys with her hands and with her mouth. every single toy. she also is curious about taste coz as a toddler she would taste teh soap, lotion and my lipsticks. 

however i do give her a freshly washed in washer towel to suck/chew on (its her favourite thing) 

i wonder if her eating is about this. it always isnt hunger (but she calls it hunger) because she eats a little and not anymore. i wonder if that's why she always wants candy. 

what non edible 'toy' ideas are there for older kids. 

[XanaduMama]

You might want to x-post in Special Needs parenting, as you'll likely get more suggestions from those mamas. But there are a bunch of oral sensory toys and devices out there--some at http://www.nationalautismresources.com/oral-motor.html, for example.

I also read lately that oral sensory-seeking might indicate a zinc deficiency. Might be worth trying some supplements, too.