Suggestions needed: ASD and playing with tongue

[lyssbobiss, Command, B613]

Hi all!  Not sure if anyone else has this issue with their ASD children, but my son (6, in Kindergarten) started rolling his tongue between his fingers almost nonstop about 6 months ago.  Obviously I'm worried about germs and just developing one more bad habit for him.  I'm sure he's seeking sensory stimulation, so I'm curious if any of you have any experience with this and/or have any suggestions of alternate means of stimming.  His Sp. Ed. teacher has been giving him a lollipop to help, but obviously we don't all want him eating candy nonstop.

TIA!

[hopecounts]

My ABA team would sub and redirect this.
Give him something acceptable (chewlery/lollipop/gum/whatever) and redirect the behavior to that every time he starts.
The whole team would need to be on board and commit to doing this but it's effective.

[soxin2]

I have a related question, my son is also oral sensory seeking and lately has been "collecting" spit in any toy that is cup like. (He's almost 3)

Any advice or product recs?

[hopecounts]

soxin2 that's a new one (we have dealt with mouthing/chewing which is why I know the drill)
My thought is stop the behavior, give him other oral sensory input as mentioned above and watch him like a hawk and redirect each time he starts to do it.
Perhaps a zvibe and/or a chewy tube, as well for sensory input.
It may take teaching him to use the alternate input over the spitting.
You could try to teach him to spit in the sink? Would that take the fun out of it for him?
or at least make it less of a mess for you

[soxin2]

I saw chewy tubes on Amazon yesterday and almost got them. I'll give those a try.


It's so gross!! All of his EI staff say it's definitely an unusual behavior.

They've never actually seen him do it, just the aftermath.