Help!! My 22 month old son licks everything?

Question

My 22 month old son licks everything that he is next to. He walks by the couch and licks it, laundry, the fish tank, chairs and anything else in the area. He also eats fuzz from anything that has it, his stuffed animals, the couch cushions, the cat post and the carpet. It is making me crazy. How do I make this stop? Telling him no doesn't work.

Answer 1

I think it is considered PIKA...My son...who is 3 still puts everything in his mouth. I have taken him to several Dr.s over this and other issues. He is in Occupational Therepy once a week and he is moving ahead leaps and bounds. My son just needed to properly learn how to occupy his time better. You may want to talk to your Dr. about it. Best Wishes!

Answer 2

I think it is a sensory thing, but not pica. try giving him something acceptable to l**k and chew on. I think he is looking for sensory input on his tongue and mouth. Another poster put me onto a few online catalogs with some oral-motor stuff in it. I am putting an order together now for my 2.5 year old and my 12 year old.

www.superduper.com

www.integrationscatalog.com

www.southpawei.com

Answer 3

its called the pika stage. everything to the mouth. all you can do is keep taking things away and saying no. he will out grow it.

Answer 4

It is a stage kids go through.  YOU are going to have to keep an eye on him better to make sure nothing goes into the mouth that could harm him.  That's what being a responsible parent is about.

Answer 5

I work with students elemantary aged who have significant developmental disisbilities. And all credit should go to lol21t she has it right. it is a natural stage for any baby to go though. I by no mean want to tell you how to raise your child but one stratagy used on young children and older students who are non verbal is to use visuals (pictures instead of words) somthing like a tounge with the universal hash mark though it. also for any infant/toddler i suggest basic sign language its quicker and easier to learn then spoken english ( i do not mean it as a subsitute for speaking but as a suplement)

just be mindful of all child behaviors as l*****g by its self is not a problem it could be but one symptom of somthing larger such as autism (affecting 1 in 4 babies today) if you are concerd about this research autism and its symptoms if concerns presist talk to your pediatrition

Answer 6

Assuming your child is healthy and doesn't have autism, ADHD, etc. , this behavior is normal. It's a stage that many kids go through with oral fixations. It will stop when you stop giving him attention for it and when he gets tired of it.

You can try offering him alternatives to l*****g. For example, anytime he wants to l**k something, offer him a sugar free lollipop or something similar to l**k instead.

Check out this link for a doctor's answer to the behavior:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/ChildBehav...

Answer 7

It's one of stages- though I forgot which one. Sigmund Freud knows! He was the one who thought of it. Ahhh...too bad I forgot the stages or I would have told you that if he continue's in that stage and you don't deprive him of l*****g then he will continue for the rest of his life and that means lollipops. I wonder if sucking was also in that stage? If he sucks then he might grow up to be smoker or a drinker.

Answer 8

Don't worry, he'll get over that stage. He's just exploring, discovering the world around him. Leave him.

Answer 9

Trick him with something sour to l**k on, or that tastes nasty, when he don't like it let him know that everything he licks will taste like that?.....