The Story Behind Our Sensory Chew Tools

Please welcome Lorna d’Entremont as my first guest post! Lorna has been so kind to share my blog with others.   I hope you enjoy the story behind Kidcompanion’s chewelry and the efforts put into creating a quality product.  Lorna wears many hats as you will see below and is an asset to children and their families.  One of my families gave me permission to share a bit about their daughter and her chewelry necklace in this post.  Any who… Here is Lorna!

Is your child biting, chewing or fidgeting constantly? Do you see chewed up toys, pencils and clothing?  Is your child chilled after school because of soaked shirt collars or cuffs? Do you have a hand or finger bitter whose dry hands hurt and bleed? Do you think mouthing everything in sight, germs and all, may cause more frequent illness?  Our company has a solution that will bring parents peace of mind and children with sensory issues hours of safe chewing!  We have two lines of chew necklaces: the original KidCompanions Chewelry and our newer SentioCHEWS. Here is our story.

Pierrette d’Entremont-Crimmins’ daughter, who has Tourette syndrome and sensory issues, was constantly biting her fingernails and mouthing toys, pencils, etc. in 2006, after searching for an age-appropriate chew tool and not finding any that allowed her child to blend in or not be a distraction to others, Pierrette decided to design chew pendants that kids would be proud to wear and want to use.

Much research and development went into making this a product we are truly proud of, from finding materials for the design idea to testing prototypes and final parts. Since our products are developed for kids 3 years and up, we wanted FDA approved, North American sourced/made and socially responsible materials. THAT was a tall order, but we did it! We have followed ASTM standards and have passed the CPSIA 3rd party testing. It took many months, lots of money, and tons of patience!

Finally, in 2007, KidCompanions Chewelry was ready to hit the market. Pierrette had designed two pendant shapes, a circle and a heart, that came in various colors. Would they sell? YES, they did and they continue to be a favorite by many! Our two-textured “Chewable Jewelry” has been helping kids and adults with sensory challenges discreetly and fashionably for 9 years!

Need For a Second Line of Chew Necklaces
Parents and therapists were asking for very durable chew pendants for aggressive chewers and for longer more durable breakaway lanyards with a sturdier clasp for older tweens and teens. It was back to the drawing board for Pierrette and with the same dedication and hard work she designed our very popular SentioCHEWS. They are a rugged and economical chew for the many heavier chewers.

Launched in November of 2013, SentioCHEWS are Tougher-than-Silicone sensory necklaces often found on the market.  Our four shapes come in two colors and are: Soccer Ball, Dot Drop, Flower and Ice Cream. They come with many styles of cool, 24 inch paracord breakaway necklaces that have been a great hit since day one!

Both oral-motor tools have many similar safety features that make them favorites with parents, speech language pathologists, and occupational therapists. SentioCHEWS are elastic, bouncy, AND tough! They have a rubber feel and are very pliable; therefore, they are not a hard chew like the KidCompanions Chewelry that some individuals prefer.
YES, SentioCHEWS are more durable than our KidCompanions Chewelry but keep in mind each has tactile features that will fulfill different needs; therefore, with these two very different lines of chew necklaces they should meet the needs of numerous individuals. If you are tired of chewed up belongings, provide the right oral motor tools that are functional, enjoyable and fashionable!

Both lines are manufactured and assembled in Canada of FDA approved materials sourced in US and Canada, CE marked and sold worldwide. They are SAFE- BPA, phthalates, lead and latex free!

Benefits of Sensory Toys for Kids with Special Needs
Why this overwhelming urge to chew? Some reasons given are:
CHEWABLE Accessory– address the issues of inappropriate biting, sucking, licking and chewing on inedible items that bring questions of hygiene, teeth wearing and safety to mind.
FUNCTIONAL Fidgets– allow discreet fidgeting to help hyperactive children to focus better as the strong jaw muscles are a great way to use pent-up energy to stay on task. Biting provides a very simple, yet powerful dose of proprioceptive input to the jaw which is most commonly calming, soothing, organizing and regulating for the brain.
WEARABLE and Soothing –are a comforting familiarity for children who do not like transitions, like going from home to school or from home-room to another class, cafeteria, gym…finding security and comfort holding on to their chew necklace. Chewing helps ease anxiety, helps regain balance when overstimulated, and helps to self-regulate.

Unique Chew Necklaces and Clip-ons
Our sensory chew necklace designs are unique to SentioLife Solutions, Ltd. – you won’t see them anywhere else. Our sensory oral-motor tools are a quality product that provides comfort and calm. They are now sold in over forty countries on three continents! Our Clip-ons double up as chewable, hand fidgets that are safe, stylish and effective. They are the quiet, school-friendly fidget teachers love to see their students use! And the solution to calm a child that parents love on those long, trips to visit grandma! For individuals who cannot tolerate a neck lanyard, our Clip-ons are the answer. The chew pendant is clipped so it is– Never lost – Never dropped – Never thrown! It clips on to clothing, bedding, seat belts, etc. It is one little item that gives peace of mind to caregivers and a shot of confidence to youth with special needs.

Testimonials from Parents
“I have two Autistic boys who are both mouthers. One mouths objects like his shirts, dice, toys, you name it. The worst place is at school where he chews and sucks on his shirt making it completely wet… this terribly hurts his socialization and puts him in major danger of bullying. We tried other chewelry, but they pinch his neck and skin. Not to mention they are another target for bullies. It is important to have a safe chewing choice but also one that doesn’t call attention further hindering our kids. Your KidCompanions Chewelry is so helpful!”
“I am currently searching for websites that have products that *** maintain a child’s dignity*** and I am so excited about your KidCompanions Chewelry…”
“SentioCHEWS are a great product! My kids love these, great quality chews and I save a fortune on pencils!”
“Ryan has had his KidCompanion Chewelry for a few weeks now, and he really likes it. At first he wasn’t too keen on the idea of wearing it around his neck, but he soon got used to it, and I think even liked the idea of having a hands-free chewing object within easy reach (I can’t tell you how many times he dropped or misplaced other chewing objects he’s had in the past). I like that it’s safe for him to use, easy to clean, and cute without being obvious or attention-drawing.”
“My daughter is a very persistent chewer…SentioCHEWS are the most durable chewy necklaces I have found! I was skeptical about the lanyards because they are so thin, but the paracord design is surprisingly strong. The pendant designs are cute as well! The 4 pack is the best buy! Thank you!”
“Our daughter struggles with tantrums and tonight she told us, with a big smile on her face, that part of the reason that she’s been having fewer tantrums lately is because, “When I’m angry, instead of tantrumming, I just bite my KidCompanions Chewelry”. We were floored and really grateful to you.”

Buy KidCompanions Chewelry and SentioCHEWS:

Online web site: www.kidcompanions.com
Follow SentioLife Solutions, Ltd.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kidcompanions/
Twitter @chewelry https://twitter.com/chewelry
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/sentio-life-solutions-ltd?trk=top_nav_home

Author Bio: Lorna d’Entremont has a Master of Education and has taught thirty years in French elementary classrooms in Nova Scotia. When she retired from teaching, she joined her daughter as co-owner of SentioLife Solutions,Ltd. the makers of the sensory, oral-motor tools SentioChews and KidCompanions Chewelry. She blogs about issues that concern parents of children with special needs and also writes reviews for their Special Needs Book Review site. She is a wife, mom of three, and grandmother of five granddaughters.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little about this week’s guest post and KidCompanion’s products and company.  Thank you so much Lorna for putting this together for my readers.  Next week we will continue with the Toys and Tips To Encourage Language Series.  I have a fun game to introduce!  And next month we will have a guest post from an Occupational Therapist!

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