Maybe the key to dealing with mouth noises isn’t to stop them altogether, but to find a new way to direct those impulses. A reader wrote in about her six year old son who seems to constantly be making annoying, repetitive mouth noises. What are these noises all about? And what can we do about them? We share resources and ideas, including ways you can help transform very annoying noises into something more tolerable.
6 Year Old Constantly Making Annoying Mouth Noises
Hi Alissa,
I seem to recall reading here that one of your sons had issues with “mouth noises”? My 6 year old started with this over the summer and it’s nearly non-stop now. It’s repetitive, really annoying as you can imagine, and (I think) disruptive and disrespectful (though I know he doesn’t mean it to be!) I wonder what to do about it – if anything. Should I just ignore it and hope it goes away?
One of the thoughts I had was not just the ‘annoyance’ around this but obviously what point does it serve. Is it, as they say in the therapy world, “stimming”? Is it a nervous habit, is it helpful/harmful, should a professional be consulted, etc…?
Wondering if you or your readers have any thoughts or similar experiences with a child constantly making noises?
Gratefully, Beth
Ideas to help deal with mouth noises:
Readers – if you have experience or helpful ideas, please leave your comment for our community!
Annoying moth noises have been happening around my house as well, and as being bothered by noise is one of my own anger triggers, I am hopeful we will get some more ideas from readers. This post contains affiliate links to useful products. Here are a few things I’ve found helpful:
- It’s no secret to my son that these noises get irritating to us, and he doesn’t want to make them at school so we practice taking a deep breath when he’s wanting to make the noises to try and stop the urge. This is only marginally successful, but a helpful response for anyone to learn when they want to stop a habit, so I figure it won’t hurt at least.
- Kid who make mouth noises may be able to control them if they can take out their impulses with a mouth fidget toy instead – something for chewing and other sensory input.
- Sometimes I start singing to distract myself, or I ask him to sing me a song.
- Chewing gum can be helpful, but I would suggest a brand like Spry that’s good for teeth with xylitol, if they’re going to be chewing a lot of it.
From Readers:
- I really struggle with this. My only suggestion is a script so that you don’t snap. I use: If you need to make that noise can you please go out side/in the other room/ basically any where but here…lol.
- Help them learn to beatbox…no really I think this is helpful because at least it is less annoying and less monotonous.
Books on Sensory Processing:
- Raising a Sensory Smart Child: The Definitive Handbook for Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues
- Everyday Games for Sensory Processing Disorder
- The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day
Helpful Links for Dealing with Mouth Noises:
- Sensory Processing Explained | Oral Sensory System [from Lemon Lime Adventures]
- Calm Down Kids – Blow Bubbles – One of our favorite oral-motor and calming activities
- Printable Sensory Activities Sheet – includes a variety of activities, some oral.
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If you have experience or helpful ideas, please leave your comments or links to ideas for our community!
To submit your own reader question: get answers quickly by posting in the Bounceback Parenting’s League on Facebook.
Thanks!
Bizarre….whistling & clicking#!!
We give our daughter a chew and a whistle or kazoo type to blow.for our child its a sensory need she cant stop. Blowing bubbles, drinking thick shakes through straws relieves the need and reduces the instances.
(tourettes)? My son had an almost OCD thing with his hands…an exercise a movement specialist had taught him, but he never stopped…so I paid a lot of money to go to a shrink for an analysis. He met my son and said “can you stop doing that?” and my son stopped and put his hands in his lap. Seriously! ( I felt like an idiot) )( Ask your child why they do it and if they can lessen the amount. (Maybe it is self soothing?)
This is sooooo annoying. I feel everyone is guilty of ‘labelling’ children too early! His 6YO . Has he seen/heard someone at school do this and think it funny? Does he think it’s great that he is annoying mum? ( just like most kids!) ….. I would simply explain that u don’t like it and it makes you sad to hear him make those noises, as you feel those noises are ****** (choose your word). If he chooses not to listen then ask him to go and play in his room for a while because you need some quiet time. Practice this for a month. If you’re consistent, the noises should stop! If they continue THEN seek advice for sensory issues…. Good luck! X
I can’t abide by audible mouth noises. Gum chewing, lip smacking, I have to leave the room when a kid eats a banana! Hubbie teases me about having have an overactive parietal lobe, but he is kind of right – it’s my issue more than the kids’. I remind them once to chew with their mouth closed and then I repress my intense agitation.
You might want to look into misophonia.
My son has mildTourette’s and sometimes it’s noises and sometimes it’s blinking or fixing his hair. But there’s no cure and usually kids grow out of it (worst in teen years). I’m not saying your child has Tourette’s, but rather focusing on your tolerance/dealing with it along with changing his behavior. It bothers YOU. How can YOU deal with it?
I didn’t read the article but this is what we have done with ‘wacky noises’. Our son (7) can make them as much as he wants in his bedroom. They are not appropriate for the family living areas. When he makes them anywhere else, I remind him that he can go in his room and make them all he wants. Sometimes he goes and does it longer, sometimes he stops.
Jennifer, that’s what we do too! Outside is also am acceptable place for noise.
My 4 1/2 year old goes through stages of this. She’s currently making gulping/swallowing noises almost constantly. She’s unaware that she’s doing it but it is really annoying. Sometimes it’s when she is drawing or concentrating, other times it’s just while she goes about her business. She also used to hum a lot when she was younger. She’s starting school next month and I’d love some pointers to help her break the habit.
My daughter (age 7) has been doing a sniffing followed by a sucking and gulping sound for about a year now. It started when she had a cold and was obviously full of phlegm. She doesn’t seem to be aware that she is doing it, she does it at home and in school every five minutes when she is doing anything quiet such as colouring, school work, watching TV etc. If she is chatting or playing with her friends then she makes the sound much less. It has become so annoying to hear. I’m going to try filming her and showing her the footage so that she can see for herself how frequently she does it. I will then try insisting that she blows her nose more often to counteract the sniffing and gulping. Interestingly, she bites and sucks her lips too, which makes her lips sore so I am also trying to discourage that habit. I’m having more success with that one as she hates the cream that I then put on her lips as a consequence/remedy.
My daughter (6 1/2) has ASD and makes Yum mmm mmmm type noises while eating, if she is really enjoying something. It does not and never has bothered me (seeing food and lip smacking bugs me), but it does other people including the girl we share with. It is totally unconscious on her part, but it is hard when other people get cross with her about it.
I used to make noises when I was very young but became aware of it and tried to control myself. It eventually stopped. It’s not a mouth noise but I had a bad habit with one of my eyes, a sort of long twitch. I was made aware of it and it made me more conscious and eventually stopped doing it. So possibly they may stop by themselves or give them a nudge in the right direction? In all honesty I was mortified when I was confronted about it but looking back now it was the best thing they did!!!! 🙂
I don’t know if this is helpful but I would maybe give him an outlet. Make it a game where for 5 minutes a day let him do all the funny noises he can think of. At the end of the five minutes the game is over and time to be polite. Lol This seems to be working with my 3 1/2 year old with wanting to talk about potty wordsU0001f61cU0001f648 it drives me crazy so I totally understand but this really seems to be helping and then it doesn’t seem so taboo from me so it loses its fun! Ha
I’m 71 and I’m told by my son ( when I’m staying with them) that I make humming noises which he interprets as me being displeased or disapproving about something.
I’m totally unaware that I do this… but after having been told and talking about it with my husband I realise that yes, I do hum. It doesn’t actually mean anything…
Has anyone just simply and firmly told their child to stop it ? My grandchild was making a “horking” sound. It was sound only no spitting. I demanded that it stop and it did. Hours later the child needed a reminder to stop – firmly – and again it stopped. In my opinion this was nothing more than a well seated habit. Parents were told. The child went home and immediately got away with it again. They are waiting for a medical appointment about it… ? Seems to me proper discipline with this child as well as the siblings would solve this as well as many other problems! Modern culture seems to want to nurture these problems rather than simply deal with them as behavioural. Kids are kids. If they are not disciplined and made know what is acceptable and where it is acceptable they will continue many strange things.
My son, he is 6 years old.He makes like screaming sounds when he is emotional.Like when watching tv or in playground with friends.So i told him every time when he wants to make any sound just breath in and blow out air like baloon. lets see how its gonna be