Advice Please Hand licking plus...

[mommyof3]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the site and starting off looking for advice. I have a 6 year old boy who I am just starting to get diagnosed. Question I have is he started hand licking about three weeks ago. I'm not positive as to why. I am sure that things changed here for a bit and are now back to normal (that's when behavior started). He has regressed. I figured it would start when things changed. I was wrong. He regressed when thing became back to normal. Any ideas how to help him stop the hand licking? He's starting to get the chapped hands, wonderful looks and growing concern to his hands bothering him. Also has regressed quite a bit as far as meltdowns go. Had them down to one or less a day. Lately seems like he's having about 5 - 10 a night. I tried to put A&D on hands, but he freaked saying he couldn't touch anything. Turned into a long meltdown. If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them.

Thank you.

Wendy

[justamom]

I am no expert and this is only my opinion but the hand licking is sensory, at the school were i work other students do the same. Does he smell his hands afterwards?? Could you use gloves to stop the licking??? Are his hands chapped from licking or is he licking his hands because they are chapped??

 

Hope this helps.

 

justamom

[jannyk]

my son j will lick between fingers and put all finger tips in mouth at once one hand at a time he chews his knuckles constantly makes them real sore thumb knuckles look funny shape too we try to ignore it but its difficult .

[mommyof3]

Does he smell his hands afterwards?? Could you use gloves to stop the licking??? Are his hands chapped from licking or is he licking his hands because they are chapped??

 

I will look into gloves. At least try it. I'm pretty sure he would about have a heart attack on me though. He will say they hurt his hands or feels funny. A least that is what I'm getting with the ointment. I haven't seen him smell his hands, but since he is licking it is causing them to be chapped. They weren't before. I have been putting on A&D, but not so sure it's working (mostly to help with the chapping). I'm trying to find something that would be non toxic but taste horrible. Any ideas?

 

Wendy

[mommyof3]

my son j will lick between fingers and put all finger tips in mouth at once one hand at a time he chews his knuckles constantly makes them real sore thumb knuckles look funny shape too we try to ignore it but its difficult .

 

How long has he been doing this? What have you been using to help with the chapped skin? I tried actually encouraging gum chewing hoping it would distract him, but it really hasn't worked. He just plays with the gum after a while. Then goes back to the hands.

[Paula]

My As son continually bites his hands and chews his fingers and skin.His hands are a right mess and always look soare.

 

 

 

Then after i read a tip on this forum i got hold of him a chewy tube.There specially designed for chewing and giveing a sensory input to the mouth.I got him one of theses just last week and hey presto.Hes chewing that instead of his hands !!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Give it a go.Ill give you the web site adress and stuff.Id to telephone the company and they sent one out to me cost about ?6 with postage and packageing but well worth it.

 

 

http://www.kapitex.com/index.page.php?page...hewytubes-range

 

 

 

Click onto the above link to take you to the web site from there you can take a look at what im on about.

Edited February 17, 2006 by Paula

[mommyof3]

My As son continually bites his hands and chews his fingers and skin.His hands are a right mess and always look soare.

Then after i read a tip on this forum i got hold of him a chewy tube.There specially designed for chewing and giveing a sensory input to the mouth.I got him one of theses just last week and hey presto.Hes chewing that instead of his hands !!!!!!!!!!!

Give it a go.Ill give you the web site adress and stuff.Id to telephone the company and they sent one out to me cost about ?6 with postage and packageing but well worth it.

http://www.kapitex.com/index.page.php?page...hewytubes-range

Click onto the above link to take you to the web site from there you can take a look at what im on about.

 

Thank you. That sounds like a great idea. I'll have to give that a try.

Wendy

[Auriel]

Perhaps his skin is dry

[lil_me]

Perhaps his skin is dry

Very good point Auriel, my son licks himself when his skin is dry aswell. He also did it a lot when he had an allergic reaction, probably as it cooled it. Maybe the chapped skin isn't so much the result as the trigger. Could try a moisturising barrier cream.