Chewing 5 year old

[Ruth2808]

I have a 5 yr old DS and over the last couple of months he has started chewing his clothes and when he's in bed he chews his duvet and his pillow. It's really gross all his clothes have chew marks on them. We have asked him why he does it but he says he doesn't know. Any ideas?

ds used to chew his collars at that age, it was thought to be a sensory or comfort thing when he felt awkward. He does it less now , mainly his school jumper cuffs.

It's weird and baffling but very common - mine chewed cuffs, collars, any random bit of material, and then just stopped after about a year (at which stage all his clothes had weird teeth holes). Must be a comfort thing.

My 6 year old has phases of chewing the sleeves of his school sweatshirt, and the collar of his polo shirt if he can reach it (usually when he's wearing at several sizes too big hand-me- down) I try not to mention it, except to say casually "Try not to chew your sleeves!" and I always try to give him a bit more attention when it's happening, just in case he's feeling anxious about something.