Biting tongues/inside of cheeks?

[Marisa6826]

This seems to happen almost daily with Mia. I'm beginning to wonder if there's some sort of physiological issue.

I think I can count on one hand the number of times Sophie's bitten her tongue, and hey, even I do it sometimes, but almost daily?

Anybody else's kiddos with this problem?

I feel so, well, awful for her when she just cries out - inevitably with a mouthful of food (!) - and I can't fix the problem. Right now all I can have her do is drink something cool and maybe suck on some ice chips.

Should I take her for a dentist visit (she's been before and he didn't mention anything abnormal in her checkup)? An ENT?

Input would be most appreciated (I think more by Mia than me at this point.) :)

TIA

-m

[Jenn98]

Marissa - do you mean she's chewing on her lips/tongue/cheeks? Or do you mean she accidently chomps down on herself? Maybe her mouth is growing and she isn't used to it yet - kinda like when you're a tween and your legs and arms grow and you knock into things a lot till you grow into them?

[Marisa6826]

Marissa - do you mean she's chewing on her lips/tongue/cheeks? Or do you mean she accidently chomps down on herself? Maybe her mouth is growing and she isn't used to it yet - kinda like when you're a tween and your legs and arms grow and you knock into things a lot till you grow into them?
She chomps 'em by mistake. It happens, no joke, at least twice a day - sometimes more. And then she spends the rest of the day telling me how much her mouth hurts. :( Today it happened in the car on the way home from school while eating some french fries ( a surprise snack for good behaviour). Last night, it was dinner...

I totally remember knocking things over with my belly when I was preggo with the girls. I'd also mis-judge and whack it into doorways all the time. I was the total antithesis of grace! ;)

-m

[anamika]

My 3 yo also does this a lot - tongue and cheek. Maybe once every 2-3 days. It's so sad especially when she's eating something she likes and has to stop.
So I'm curious too about ways to help her mostly. We just tell her to chew slowly.

Maybe it's an age thing? I noticed your DD is almost the same age as mine.

[TonFirst]

Oh, I do this ALL THE TIME, and have since I was little, and the problem is that it becomes a cycle: you chomp the inside of your cheek, it swells, you chomp it again, it bleeds and swells some more, you chomp it again, you get a nasty canker sore... It sucks and it is painful and I empathize with your daughter.

Here's what helps me: I have to slooooooow dooooooown when I eat - I'm a very fast eater and I always chomp my cheek or tongue when I'm not taking my time to chew and swallow at a reasonable pace. I also drink ice water immediately post-chomp - I think it helps with the swelling.

Good luck! My husband swears he's never bitten his cheek or tongue, and I have a hard time believing him, but who knows? Regardless, a cheek chomp HURTS.

[Marisa6826]

My 3 yo also does this a lot - tongue and cheek. Maybe once every 2-3 days. It's so sad especially when she's eating something she likes and has to stop.
So I'm curious too about ways to help her mostly. We just tell her to chew slowly.

Maybe it's an age thing? I noticed your DD is almost the same age as mine.
Have you noticed whether or not she 'chipmunks' her food? For whatever reason, Mia has always kepts a mouthful of food going for a LONG time before she swallows. I think she almost ends up with no more room and *then* swallows, so I think that's why she ends up biting herself. No more room for the food!

I've got this mantra at the table every day. CHEW your food! SWALLOW your food! CHEW your food! SWALLOW your food! Even Sophie has gotten in on it and tells Mia to do it because she's tired of hearing the screams of pain. *sigh*

-m

[supercalifragilous]

DD did this almost on a daily basis while she was 3-4. She's almost 5 now and I just noticed it's been a while since she's complained, maybe 5-6 months or so. DH also does this all the time still, but he eats super fast, like military-style. I swear I'm still looking at the appetizer while he's finished with his entree. Anyway, I think once DD started to slow down and actually masticate instead of inhale her food, she quit doing the accidental chomp. Plus in a weird way I think she finally "grew into" her mouth.

Have you tried encouraging her to take smaller bites and slowing down? Might be worth a try.

[Marisa6826]

Have you tried encouraging her to take smaller bites and slowing down? Might be worth a try.
Yeah... She still snarfs everything down. I'm not sure if it's possibly a function of trying to get it before the dogs steal it from her. D'oh! ;)

Even though I still cut her food pretty reasonably small pieces (remember jchamness's DS's friend Masyn? :( ), Mia still 'chipmunks' everything.

Hopefully she'll grow into her mouth one of these days.

-m

[TonFirst]

I'm not sure if it's possibly a function of trying to get it before the dogs steal it from her. D'oh! ;)


With me, it's because I didn't want one of my five younger siblings to steal my food!