Hello! Same anon as before for the Krypto-Bite review. Thank you so much, Mod K.A. I ordered the Krypto-Bite and I do hope it helps me cope a bit more with my anxiety. Another question, my younger brother has ADHD (we make quite the duo- anxiety and ADHD in one family) and says that he now wants a chew. I've noticed he usually chews things (pencils, straws, and such), but then he just leaves them in his mouth most of the time. Any recommendations? Thank you so much :)
Hey, anon! Many apologies for taking so long to get to this one!
For this sort of thing, I’d be looking at chewables that most resemble that sort of long/thin combination: it may be more about the texture, feel or movement of the object than it is chewing on it, so objects that are easy to just hold or suck on are probably the best option.
(I’ve got a list of questions on this ask that new chewers may like to ask themselves to determine their chew strength and any other factors like size, thickness or texture that should be considered. Some folks only have to worry about the toughness of the chewable, but some of us are a bit or a lot more particular when it comes to finding the right chewable.)
For straw-like chewables, you may want to check out the different range of chew tubes available. For chewers wanting a stronger, more durable tube, Chubuddy’s Strong Tubes are a good place to start. For a springy (but curved) tube, Stimtastic’s Ch-U Tube might be worth checking out. I’ve got a similar silicone tube (mine’s from Etsy but it looks very close to the Stimtastic ones) and it’s very springy, great for just resting between your teeth and compressing without biting down or gnawing. There’s also the Chewigem Chubes as another chew-tube option, but I don’t know much about how soft or springy they might be.
For long chewables good for just holding and sucking, you might want to look at Stimtastic’s Dulcimer (although the shape might not be best suited for masculine people) or the thicker and less-feminine Stimtastic’s Braid. I find the Braid pendant to be a bit thicker than is comfortable for me, but many folks don’t have a problem with it. The Dulcimer’s flat and narrow shape is extremely comfortable in my mouth, but I haven’t yet gotten it to stop squeaking. (There’s a comment on that post that the squeak isn’t permanent and will fade after regular use, but it hasn’t yet done so for me, so I can’t confirm this.) The ribbed texture on the underside of the Dulcimer, though, is wonderful for just holding in your mouth, and for light chewers or stimmers wanting it just for sucking and holding (and can bear the squeaking) I think it’s absolutely worth trying.
(If your brother is a moderate to heavy chewer, the Braid will be a better purchase; the Dulcimer is quite thin and I imagine that it won’t take long for more avid chewers to bite through it.)
As a highly-textured chewable good for holding, sucking and light chewing, Stimtastic’s UFO is a lot of fun. It’s a fraction too wide for me when I try to hold it across the bottom edge of the ship, so I only use it twisted sideways, but the raised stars feel great and it doesn’t squeak at all. I don’t know how well this will hold up under moderate or heavy chewing, but for just holding in your mouth it’s super. I didn’t expect to like it half as much as I do.
I also quite like just holding Chewigem’s Dog Tags in my mouth, as they’re flat and thin, very comfortable for just holding. I don’t think they’re terribly durable for strong chewers, though. For moderate and strong chewers, I’d look at Chewigem’s Boards, as they’re flat and long, and look great for both sucking and molar-chewing.
The aforementioned ARK Krypto-Bite may work as well, depending on how well your brother takes to a thicker chew, but it is long. Similarly, their Bite Saber and Brick Stick may work well here. Also on the thicker end of the holding-and-sucking-type-pendant scale, you might look at the stem end of Stimtastic’s Mushroom (which is also a very diverse pendant with multiple chew options).
(Advisory: I do have to point out that ARK Therapeutic has now produced a Puzzle Piece Pendant, something with which many autistics may not feel comfortable. While there is no reference to supporting A$ on the listing page, I want my autistic followers to be aware of this nonetheless, as many of us may prefer to buy chewables from retailers/creators that don’t use symbolism associated with autism-targeted hate and ableism on any of their products.)
Not all of these things may be suitable, as chew strength, size needs and texture needs will make some of these options unusable for your brother. I hope, though, that this gives you somewhere to begin (or some options for folks in the same boat, as it’s more likely you’ve already purchased something for your brother). I’m metaphorically crossing my fingers, anon, you’re able to find something, and I hope you’ve enjoyed your first foray into chewables!
