4yo keeps licking everything

[TheChain]

My 4yo DS for the last week or two keeps licking everything... I mean literally everything. Toys, his shoe, his sister, the table, a bloody handrail in a lift, my arm constantly!
No SEN at all, it’s just a weird thing he’s started doing.

I explained that it’s bad hygiene, could make him poorly, even have been consistently telling him off when he’s licking either his sister or me because quite frankly it’s gross and I really don’t like it.

It seems it’s a weird tactile thing where he’s exploring his senses but it’s really unpleasant and it’s driving me insane.

Any ideas why he’s doing it and how I can get him to stop?

Solidarity. I think it's just a phase they go through. Mine has mostly stopped doing it now that he's six. The worst was when he'd lick the snow/slush puddle behind the car wheels of a morning...

Licking people I managed to curb by coming down on it like a ton of bricks and going over and over consent with him. But things like floors, chairs, snow, mostly snow... that he had to grow out of, I couldn't make him stop.

@Damntheman how long did the phase last?
My DS has always been very touchy feely with me, loves cuddles and could literally kiss you to death. He isn’t like it with anyone other than immediate family though so he’s not licking or kissing kids at nursery or anything (that I’m aware of!).

Naughty corner/step/room?

Bit harsh but that's the fastest way in my opinion.

... unless he starts licking the naughty step.

My four year old has just started being a bit like this. Never had to worry about her putting stuff in her mouth when she was younger, I think now she's just figuring out more about the world and this sort of sensory thing is just something that happens. She'll grow out of it.
Yesterday I heard "Muuuum, mmmfff hrnffff ither" - I said "Pardon?" and got "Mum, I licked the glitter and now it-th all in my mouth!!!!"

The licking ME thing I managed to curb in a couple of months. The liking random stuff thing sadly lasted about a year and a half. Sorry :(

unless he starts licking the naughty step I just office loled at this :grin:

@Zippyx 😂😂😂

Thanks for making me laugh!

Aversion therapy? Get some of that stuff that deters nail biting and paint it on something he is certain to lick.

@recrudescence I did consider putting mosquito repellent on my arms to stop him licking me but I wasn’t sure how toxic it would be for him 😂
It’s generally me he’s licking... he’s also kissing up and down my arms a lot too, which was cute for about 5 mins but it’s just getting annoying now

My 4YO went through a licking phase a while back weirdly!! One day he licked a shopping trolley (several times, despite me telling him not to 🤢) the day after he came down with some sort of tummy bug, sickness diarrhoea etc and I unthinkingly said something about the germs on the trolley causing it and after that any time he started to lick something he'd stop and ask me 'will I get a poorly tummy?'. This was months ago and he still reminds me of the time he 'licked the trolley and got the poops'

Is it worth checking for thrush?
I read about a little boy who did this and his mum took him to the doctor who checked his mouth
Either that or he’ll grow out of it

my 2 yo DS is a licker. mostly of me but also his sister and other people, sometimes objects. it's like having a puppy, it seems to be his version of a friendly greeting, I get him out of bed in the morning and am usually given a big sloppy lick from jaw to temple. he's been doing it forever and i'm pretty much just used to it, I forget that other people find it odd, until I realise I'm getting strange looks at school pick up. It was pretty gross when he licked DD when she had chicken pox though. unsurprisingly, he got them too

No suggestions at all but I'm chuckling away at all these lickers!

I'd start covering things in tabasco...

My 2 and a half year old has not long started doing this - though he seems to like licking people - mostly me. If I wear a vest or t shirt he’s certain to lick my arms.
It sounds silly but with him I think he does it as a form of affection?!
I’m sorry, I don’t have advice but just want to see what other people say too!

It's a phase but try to nip it in the bud :) As it is a little weird (funny weird at first. But gradually more just plain weird haha)but mostly very unhygenic and can become problematic/habitual.

But @GaryWilmottsTeeth seriously? " he is doing it forever"? So by now he thinks it's normal. Heck even you think it is. But... It isn't ....

thing is though, lots of things 2 year olds do - pooing in their pants/nappies, throwing screaming tantrums because they don't get their own way, scribbling where they shouldn't with crayons - are things they think are normal. And they grow out of all of them. If he's still licking me when he's 7 or 14 or 21 (or doing any of the other strange things that toddlers do) then I'll probably do something about it

DD used to do this too. Worst one was handrails in the tube.(not envy) She never got ill either so no handy deterrent. She just stopped one day , even though at 7 she'll still randomly lick me every now and then.

I've just stood in sainburies with my soon to be 6 year old chewing on the handles of the pushchair, I dont hold out hope of him stopping anytime yet