Autism and Oral Fixation: All You Need to Know

“Joey, where’s your chewy?” That’s a question that has been said more times than I can count in my own house. My youngest son often seeks oral stimulation for his sensory needs. He is one of the many autistic children to experience oral fixation.

It may be easy to recognize oral fixation among children with autism spectrum disorder, but what do we do to manage these behaviors? And what can we do to make sure oral fixation doesn’t lead to negative consequences for our children in later life?

What is oral fixation?

In its simplest terms, oral fixation is a repetitive behavior connected to the mouth. Oral fixation can often be a coping mechanism for autistic children to deal with sensory processing difficulties.

It’s important to note that any person experiencing oral fixation may be desiring sensory needs to be met and each behavior could meet a different need for each individual.

There are several potential examples of oral fixation, including biting, chewing, sucking, or eating spicy foods.

Biting

Biting is a common oral fixation behavior often seen in individuals with autism spectrum disorder, typically as a way to seek oral sensory input.

My son, Joey, would often bite when he was younger. Whenever he would seek sensory input for his mouth, he would bite other people or himself.

We couldn’t allow this as it was bringing harm to himself and others. So, we diverted his attention to change his oral fixation behavior.

Chewing

We were able to transition his biting behavior to a chewing behavior. We got chew toys and even reintroduced a pacifier for him to chew on.

It wasn’t an ideal move because chewing oral fixation can lead to dental problems, but we had to ensure he wasn’t biting himself or others.

My older son, Jeremy, has also demonstrated chewing oral fixation behaviors. He often bites pencils, erasers, and even the torn edges of notebook paper. Essentially, he chews on any non-food objects he can put in his mouth. 

Sucking

Sucking is another common oral fixation behavior in autistic children, where they often place objects in their mouths to fulfill sensory needs.

For my son, this means continuing to use a pacifier even at nine years old. Other children may suck their thumbs or fingers to satisfy similar sensory cravings.

Eating spicy foods

If your child is hyposensitive to oral needs, they may eat spicy foods as part of their fixation. Many children may require the oral sensory stimulation provided by spicy foods. My son, Joey, constantly eats hot and spicy foods like “flaming hot” chips.

When we go to a chicken wing restaurant, he can handle the spiciest wing sauce. He clearly needs the intense flavor for sensory input.

Is oral fixation a sign of autism?

The need for oral stimulation can be a sign of autism spectrum disorder. That doesn’t mean everyone who demonstrates a need for oral fixation is on the autism spectrum.

However, if you notice a trend of oral stimulation in younger children, it may be time to consider seeking an autism diagnosis.

Oral fixation is also linked to a few other disorders, including anxiety, sensory processing disorders, and even attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It’s important to discuss with your child’s doctor if they think it’s autism or one of the other disorders that demonstrate oral fixation behaviors.

Causes of oral fixation in autism

A sensory processing disorder can often cause oral stimming, but it can also be a coping mechanism. Many children develop oral fixations as a way to cope with stressful situations, overwhelming environments, or sensory overload.

The constant need for stimulation involving the mouth could be a sensory-seeking behavior while struggling with sensory processing. Oral fixation can also serve as a self-regulation technique when experiencing sensory overload.

Negative effects of oral fixation

Oral fixation, like any other behavior, can have negative impacts on a person’s life if not properly managed. As mentioned earlier, biting can lead to the autistic person or someone else experiencing harm.

Excessive chewing can lead to dental problems as teeth can be damaged and require expensive procedures, like braces, to fix them.

While chew toys or a chewable necklace may be a good short-term option, there are also chewy snacks designed to address chewing behavior and oral fixation.

Oral stimming can pose risks, such as choking if an object is accidentally swallowed. Chewing on clothing can lead to wet fabrics, which may cause skin irritation. 

On top of physical effects, oral fixation can also lead to autistic individuals not being socially accepted. This may lead to resentful emotions that can have a negative impact on mental health.

How to manage oral fixation

There are healthy ways to manage oral stimming to ensure safety and protect the person’s health. This includes cleaning any chew toys to ensure germs aren’t on them.

If your child chews everything like my son did, encourage them to chew gum instead. That way, they can have something that’s meant to be chewed in their mouths instead of just any object.

Chewy or crunchy snacks, including those that may be spicy or sour, can address the need for oral stimulation while ensuring they are eating actual food. Always having a straw on hand can assist oral fixation when it comes to drinks.

Remember that seeking professional help is an option if it reaches that point.

Therapy can help address oral fixation issues by teaching strategies to redirect your child from harmful sensory-seeking behaviors to healthier alternatives.

Remember empathy and practical solutions

I’ve been there. Oral fixation behaviors can be some of the most stressful situations for many parents. As their children seek out stimulation from objects that we would never consider putting in our own mouths, it’s important to remember they are just seeking a way to address oral sensory needs.

It’s important to approach them with empathy and recognize they need sensory regulation. Still, it’s up to us as parents to protect our children, so we must recognize when their behaviors are safe and when they are potentially dangerous.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with oral fixation in autistic children. It’s just up to us as parents to guide them to the right oral sensory regulation.

FAQs

Q: How do you stop oral fixation in autism?

A: Parents shouldn’t stop oral fixation on its own. However, they must address potentially dangerous behaviors. Parents can help their autistic loved ones manage oral fixation behaviors by identifying triggers and providing safe alternatives.

Q: What are the oral signs of autism?

A: There are several oral signs of autism spectrum disorder, including oral fixation, self-injury, pica, tongue thrusting, poor oral hygiene, mouth breathing, and injuries to teeth.

Q: Can you fix an oral fixation?

A: A negative oral fixation can be “fixed” with treatments like therapies. Parents may also swap out a negative behavior with a positive one. The child will still seek oral stimulation, but the negative behavior will be “fixed.”

Q: What triggers oral fixation?

A: There are many potential triggers for oral fixation, including stress, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, distracting thoughts, unmet needs, and overwhelming sensory input.

The post Autism and Oral Fixation: All You Need to Know appeared first on Autism Parenting Magazine.

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