Oral stimulation for sensory-seekers?

Hi there! First, I want to thank all of you in this sub for uplifting other parents when it’s needed, being real about the struggles of parenting autistic children/adolescents/adults, and for the endless amount of resources and support you’ve provided. I’ve learned so much in this sub!

My sweet, goofy 2.5 year-old son is nonverbal and level 3. He also has a global developmental delay so he is probably much younger, developmentally. In fact, he really struggles with receptive language. (Although this isn’t the topic I originally wanted to discuss, maybe I can get a freebie: Does anyone know how to help an autistic child with their receptive language specifically? Has anyone had a toddler that struggles in this area that was able to learn how to understand better? If so, how?).

My son is also a sensory-seeker and has an intense need for oral input/stimulation. He engages in lots of oral sensory-seeking behaviors such as chewing on objects and mouthing non-food items. He also bites… a lot. We’ve tried many other things to help with these sensory needs, such as chewable necklaces, his lovey (a small blanket that he chews on), crunchy foods, vibrating toothbrushes, etc. Some work, but he continues to [try to] bite (objects and people) quite frequently.

I should also note that he has recently begun biting as a way to communicate as well. For example, if his twin sister takes a toy from him, he will try to bite her as a way to tell her, “No, stop!” We are constantly working on these behaviors (as well as sensory regulation in general) in Speech and OT.

There appears to be some research out there that says chewing gum can be beneficial for individuals with autism. The rhythmic act of chewing appears to help calm nerves, provide sensory feedback, and even helps some people concentrate better. I’m wondering if anyone has used chewing gum to help their child with/without success? I can’t help but feel like my child is too young to “understand” what gum is and how it works, or to safely use and dispose of it.

That said, we are open to hearing from others about their experiences with chewing gum or with other suggestions on how to stop the biting, in particular.

Thank you all for your thoughts and time!