When will this chewing end?? (X-posted)

[ted]

My 8.5 months old dd chews, licks, gnaws everything. I can only clean
so much. I know this day and age everything has chemicals in it. I'm
worried that this habit will harm her. She's been chewing everything
since she was 3 months old. When will this end? Does this indicate a
problem? We are washing all her toys every day. We only buy toys that
can be washed. No soft toys for her because I'm worried I can't clean
them.

When will she outgrow this habit? Is this a problem?

Thanks.

[HollyLewis]

>When will she outgrow this habit? Is this a problem?

Somewhere between next week and about two years from now. :-) No, it's not a
problem.

Young children actually *need* to ingest a few germs in order to develop a
healthy immune system. Chewing on stuff that has ordinary dirt and household
germs on it is actually a good thing, so you really should stop with the
obsessive cleaning. Just don't let her chew on cat litter or dog toys,
poisonous houseplants or cleaning chemicals, and all is good.

Most soft toys, despite their labels, can be tossed into the clothes washer.
And you certainly needn't wash all her things every day -- it might be a good
idea if they've been slobbered on by another child, she's been ill or they're
just really visibly dirty, but otherwise, eh.

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs

[0tterbot]

"ted" > wrote in message
om...
> My 8.5 months old dd chews, licks, gnaws everything. I can only clean
> so much. I know this day and age everything has chemicals in it.

eh?

I'm
> worried that this habit will harm her. She's been chewing everything
> since she was 3 months old. When will this end? Does this indicate a
> problem? We are washing all her toys every day. We only buy toys that
> can be washed. No soft toys for her because I'm worried I can't clean
> them.
>
> When will she outgrow this habit? Is this a problem?

er, no. all babies chew on everything. i'm not even sure why you're washing
everything maniacally because she'll be eating dirt in a few months. :-)
kylie
--
"My giddy aunt, Wanda-Linda," she said. "What a frightful pair of
underpants."

[P. Tierney]

"Ericka Kammerer" > wrote in message
...
> ted wrote:
>
> > My 8.5 months old dd chews, licks, gnaws everything. I can only clean
> > so much. I know this day and age everything has chemicals in it. I'm
> > worried that this habit will harm her. She's been chewing everything
> > since she was 3 months old. When will this end? Does this indicate a
> > problem? We are washing all her toys every day. We only buy toys that
> > can be washed. No soft toys for her because I'm worried I can't clean
> > them.
> >
> > When will she outgrow this habit? Is this a problem?
>
>
> No, it's not a problem. Yes, she'll outgrow it,
> though it may be quite a while.

Yes, it may be quite a while. I still chewed on my Bic pens
back when I was working. I understood the mentality of babies,
as well as smokers, a little better.


P. Tierney

[Ericka Kammerer]

ted wrote:

> My 8.5 months old dd chews, licks, gnaws everything. I can only clean
> so much. I know this day and age everything has chemicals in it. I'm
> worried that this habit will harm her. She's been chewing everything
> since she was 3 months old. When will this end? Does this indicate a
> problem? We are washing all her toys every day. We only buy toys that
> can be washed. No soft toys for her because I'm worried I can't clean
> them.
>
> When will she outgrow this habit? Is this a problem?


No, it's not a problem. Yes, she'll outgrow it,
though it may be quite a while. Don't sweat it so much.
Even if everything isn't superclean, it'll be fine.
A little dirt never hurt anyone. In fact, recent studies
say children who eat more dirt have less risk of asthma ;-)

Best wishes,
Ericka

[Nina]

"0tterbot" > wrote in message
...
> "ted" > wrote in message
> om...
> > My 8.5 months old dd chews, licks, gnaws everything. I can only clean
> > so much. I know this day and age everything has chemicals in it.
>
> eh?
>
> I'm
> > worried that this habit will harm her. She's been chewing everything
> > since she was 3 months old. When will this end? Does this indicate a
> > problem? We are washing all her toys every day. We only buy toys that
> > can be washed. No soft toys for her because I'm worried I can't clean
> > them.
> >
> > When will she outgrow this habit? Is this a problem?
>
> er, no. all babies chew on everything. i'm not even sure why you're
washing
> everything maniacally because she'll be eating dirt in a few months. :-)

when hey get that pincer grip goin, they can pick up teeny tiny particles of
WHATEVER and eat them, mmm hmmm

[Chookie]

In article >,
"0tterbot" > wrote:

> er, no. all babies chew on everything. i'm not even sure why you're washing
> everything maniacally because she'll be eating dirt in a few months. :-)

Maybe that's only the Aussies. DS's first solids were a piece of an envelope,
and a handful of dirt and lawn clippings.

To the OP: your baby is probably chewing frantically because a tooth is about
to pop through.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Jeez; if only those Ancient Greek storytellers had known about the astonishing
creature that is the *Usenet hydra*: you cut off one head, and *a stupider one*
grows back..." -- MJ, cam.misc

[Sue]

Chookie > wrote in message
> Maybe that's only the Aussies. DS's first solids were a piece of an
envelope, and a handful of dirt and lawn clippings.

I wouldn't limit that to Aussies as many Americans that I know don't wash
everything all the time. It seems to be limited to the paranoia of new
parents. :o) I think my oldest daughter's first solids were the kitty
litter.

To the OP, having a sterile/clean envoirnment is not doing your daughter any
favors. It is actually much better for her to have some germs around and be
exposed to some dirt. :o)
--
Sue (mom to three girls)
I'm Just a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World...

[Phoebe & Allyson]

ted wrote:

> My 8.5 months old dd chews, licks, gnaws everything.

So does Caterpillar, but Caterpillar is younger than your
DD, so I don't have any advice about outgrowing.


> We are washing all her toys every day.

We don't clean anything. I figure she's getting a head
start on her peck of dirt, and house dirt isn't likely to
have anything particularly toxic in it. So far, so good.

Phoebe :)
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt

[enigma]

Phoebe & Allyson > wrote in
:

> We don't clean anything. I figure she's getting a head
> start on her peck of dirt, and house dirt isn't likely to
> have anything particularly toxic in it. So far, so good.

well, that's assuming your house is newer than mid-70s when
lead based paint was banned. if you have an older home you
need to be a bit more careful about cleaning (or opening &
closing windows). paint doesn't have to be peeling to be a
hazard, paint dust is actually worse.
but that said, i have an old house & i wasn't fanatic about
washing toys either.
lee

[Phoebe & Allyson]

enigma wrote:

> Phoebe & Allyson > wrote in
> :
>
>>We don't clean anything. I figure she's getting a head
>>start on her peck of dirt, and house dirt isn't likely to
>>have anything particularly toxic in it. So far, so good.
>
> well, that's assuming your house is newer than mid-70s when
> lead based paint was banned.


That's true. The only houses she's in were built in the
80's or later.

Phoebe :)
--
yahoo address is unread - substitute mailbolt