How to Help a Child with ADHD Who Chews on Everything
If you’re a parent, caregiver, relative, or loved one of a child with ADHD, you’re probably aware that the diagnosis rarely comes alone. Due to the way ADHD manifests, behavioral challenges often go hand-in-hand. Some of these behaviors may include oppositional defiant disorder, mood disorders, anxiety, restlessness, and even body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs).
Common BFRBs include dermatophagia (skin nibbling), trichotillomania (hair pulling), dermatillomania (skin picking), onychophagia (nail biting), rhinotillexomania (compulsive nose picking), and cheek biting.
As your child’s advocate, you can help guide them toward safer alternatives that meet their needs without causing harm—especially when it comes to oral sensory behaviors.
Why Do Children with ADHD Chew on Things?
People with ADHD often feel a strong urge toward oral stimulation. Chewing can act as a coping mechanism, helping to calm anxiety, improve focus, or release excess energy. For many children with ADHD, oral input helps support self-regulation, focus, and emotional calming throughout the day.
While it’s important to support this need, chewing can sometimes become inappropriate or unsafe.
Providing a safe and appropriate outlet for this behavior can make a big difference in reducing destructive or harmful chewing habits.
When Chewing Becomes a Problem
You’re probably familiar with chewed pens, pencils, shirt sleeves, hoodie strings, cords, fingernails, skin, or even the inside of a cheek. This is where chewing becomes destructive, disruptive, and sometimes dangerous.
In many cases, children who chew are not trying to be difficult—they’re trying to regulate themselves. Giving them a safer option—such as a chew designed for oral sensory needs—can help redirect this behavior without removing the coping mechanism they rely on.
Another concern is social. Children may be teased or feel embarrassed for chewing on objects, which creates a need for solutions that are both safe and discreet.
It can be helpful to consider the benefits of providing a safe, discreet chew versus discouraging the behavior entirely—which can sometimes lead to frustration, outbursts, or chewing even more inappropriate items.
ADHD and Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)
It’s important to monitor your child to ensure they’re not harming themselves through BFRBs. While these behaviors were once commonly linked to OCD, it’s now understood that children with ADHD may also be more prone to them.
This is often due to impulse control challenges—a core trait of ADHD. Children may not want to engage in these behaviors, but they may struggle to stop.
Providing a safer alternative can help reduce harm while still meeting the underlying need.
Providing a Safer Alternative
If your child is chewing on unsafe or unclean items—or engaging in BFRBs—it may be helpful to offer a safer, cleaner alternative that fulfills the same need.
Providing the right chew can help your child:
- Reduce destructive chewing habits and provide a safer outlet for sensory needs
- Avoid damaging clothing or objects
- Feel calmer and more regulated
- Maintain a sense of control
Choosing the right chew can make a major difference in how successful it is. Some children prefer softer chews for occasional use, while stronger chewers often need more durable options that can handle frequent biting.
Choosing the Right Chew for Your Child
If your child is a heavy chewer or frequently bites hard objects, a more durable chew may be the best fit. For lighter chewing or occasional use, softer options may be enough.
Choosing the right level can make all the difference in success.
Explore our super durable chews designed for tough chewers or browse softer options for light, everyday chewing.
Final Thoughts
The right sensory tools can help your child feel calmer, more focused, and less likely to engage in harmful chewing behaviors throughout the day.
👉 Start here: [Shop Sensory Chews]
👉 Not sure what to choose? Find your child’s perfect match → [Find Your Chew Factor]
If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to us at contact@chubuddy.com
Disclaimer: Every child is different, and not every strategy will work for every situation. It may take some trial and error to find the right solution. This blog is intended to inform and support, while offering chew tools that may help.