advice please.

[littlesprogs]

I look after a 2.5 yr old little boy 3 days a week and he is a lovely little thing but he has a habit of chewing the top of his t-shirt. I had him 9.00 till 3.30 the other day and i had to change him 4 times because he had soaked his t-shirt!

His mum has no idea of how to get him out of this bad habit and the only thing i noticed that stopped him doing it was when he was on his nintendo ds but obviously i cant let him sit on his ds all day!

Do any of you have any ideas of things i can try?

[fionamal]

I know he's a little bit big for this but it might work.

Try putting on a babies bib onto him , the ones that tie at the back so its up round his neck and see if that stops him and leaves his tops alone.

[Spangles]

I had a quick look on the net for you and it seems to be quite common.

They all say it's really hard to get them to stop it but they usually do it naturally eventually. They also said it's quite often due to nervousness or shyness and to see if you can spot a trigger for it and maybe help that way.

Sorry, I have no experience of this so this is all I can come up with!

Hope it's helpful.

[SimplyLucy]

Ermmm can I just double check that you said a 2 and a half year old has a Nintendo DS????????:eek:

As far as the T shirt goes, pain old distraction, plus at this time of year try him without a T shirt but only when in the house so he doesn't get sun burnt.

[littlesprogs]

Ermmm can I just double check that you said a 2 and a half year old has a Nintendo DS????????:eek:

As far as the T shirt goes, pain old distraction, plus at this time of year try him without a T shirt but only when in the house so he doesn't get sun burnt.

Yes you heard right but it is the old version and think it is a hand-me-down from his older brother but he is really good on it!

[Cazz]

My son has started doing this the last six months or so and it drives me mad! He is 10 years old as well! I have watched him and it is definetly when he is nervous or shy (he is the quieter twin). He did have a phase of chewing the cuff of his school sweatshirt until one got a hole in it! - I told him in no uncertain terms I was not pleased about this and if he did that again he would be paying for another sweatshirt - the cuffs are now left alone (!) but he still comes home from school some days and I can see he has chewed one of the collars of his polo shirt. I think it has begun since he has been in Year 5 because they have different teachers for different lessons and he feels shy & nervous until he gets to know somebody.

Don't really know what the answer is - I don't think I can really do the bib suggestion at his age (a tad humiliating - although you possibly could with a 2 year old), I'm just hoping he will grow out of this stage as his confidence improves.

Sorry I wasn't much help.

Carole x

[Pudding Girl]

My lb mindee does this, his coat is often sopping byt he time we get where we are going!

I just try to distract him, give his hands something else to do - not a DS though - crikey lol! At the end of the day it's like sucking a thumb, you can't exactly put it in a bag , and you can't take their clothes off them can you, so distraction is the only thing really.

[sarah707]

My son is 12 now and still bites the buttons off polo shirts - he has 4 for school and not a button between them!

I think well at least when he's doing that he's not sucking his thumb :rolleyes: :laughing:

[angeldelight]

I would try to distact him Louise

I would also have a chat with his mom and see what her views are

Let us know how it goes

Angel xx

[crazybones]

My 8 year old has always done this when he is nervous. I used to worry but after a spell of licking around his mouth instead and making it really sore I just let him get on with it now.

[Gherkin]

Ermmm can I just double check that you said a 2 and a half year old has a Nintendo DS????????:eek:
.

OMG at that age.....! The most computerised my 3 1/2 yo gets is a Vtech thing on the big telly.

No advise at all on the chewing t-shirt sorry.