His poor poor hands

[Paula]

Ive tried everything.

 

But still he wont stop biteing his skin and fingers.

 

His finger nails are literally bitten of.

 

I even bought him a chewy tube but after the initial enthusiasm from him he now refuses to chew this as an alternative.

 

Because hes of school today id chance to wash his hands and face this morning and noticed all his fingers were red and some swollen others were obviously infected.

 

He must be in such paine yet still wont stop biteing and chewing.

 

Ive bathed them in antiseptic wash and put tee tree oil on them and also put plasters over all his fingers.

 

Ive tried asking him why but get no sence.Ive said do they hurt he says yes but he likes it.Ive tried pointing out to him hes doing it and asking him to stopp.

 

 

So new tactic.

 

Hes obsessed by a neighboures dog and this dog has some chewy toys.So ive said look simba chews chews not his paws else his paws would be sore.Youre hands are like simbas paws.So if you chew a chew youll be like a doggy like simba.He appeared to like the sound of this.And announced he could be the dogs brother.

 

Youll try owt when yer desperate so i agreed to his new identity.

 

God help us but his hands are a mess.he refuses to go to the gps.

[Guest flutter]

would he wear cotton gloves?

poor thing to be that stressed

and in turn you <'>

if he dont want to go docs then tell him if he not stop u will have to take him?? use a deterant for doing it

 

Cx

[justamom]

I hope he will try the gloves, poor thing... but like you same sometimes they like the sensation of it hurting, my son bites the joint on his fingers and it got so infected... the only way i stopped him was every time i saw him having his fingers in his mouth i could say fingers out etc...

 

Maybe the dr's would be able to prescripe some cream too put on it??

 

Good luck

[jb1964]

Hi Paula,

 

Know exactly how your feeling my daughter bites her joints all the time and they get sore and infected but she still can't stop doing it. Hope you manage something.

 

 

Although I have to say over the past couple of weeks she's been more aware of it and wants to stop but can't - so we've tried loads of things - although it's difficult to find something that has the same feeling when they bite it (because I'm sure its the feeling that my daughter likes between her teeth). We bought a box of bendy straws, and tried chewing gum but she can't hack those. At the moment she is trying ice cubes all the time - which I'm worried will give her a bad stomach ache but she's going through tonnes of the stuff to stop herself from biting her fingers. I asked her to try the stuff you put on your nails thats supposed to taste awful but she wouldn't have none of it.

 

Take care,

Jb

[mel]

I used to chew my joints on my fingers. had blooming great lumps on em for years. i still dont know why i did it, all i can think of was it was a comfort thing and i didnt realise i was doing it half the time. i couldnt stand gloves on em either. i finally stopped a couple of years ago. started picking at a lump on the back of my head instead lol.

[Paula]

Someone has just suggested those liqurish sticks those natural ones that are like twigs.

 

Perhaps he could chew those and maybe theyll help his bowel movements in the bargaine.

 

I do think its nerves and anxiety i realy do.

 

I also started to bite and suck my thumb about 2 years ago.And ive made it a right mess yet still am unable to stop especially on a evening when im sat and relaxed.So i kinda understand what he gets out of it.And in a way a subsitute doesnt doesnt cut the mustard.As an adult whoes NT its a difficult one to crack so as a child with AS its another long haul.

 

Ive covered all his fingers and will keep reminding him fingers out.He does also do it at school and the teachers are aware.

[DaisyProudfoot]

Paula does he take anti-depressants, I only ask this as I've always bitten my nails, chewed by hair, twisted my hair, chewed my hands ever since I was a kid. I've been put on anti-depressants for a while now and I've noticed I've stopped biting my nails and chewing my hair! Obviously mine must have linked to anxiety because my mum tried everything to stop me including the nail biting liquid which I got used to and gloves which I chewed through!

[Bagpuss]

Hi,

 

When I attended the Early Bird Plus course last week, one of the parents asked a question exactly like this. Her son was biting his hands/fingers until they bled. They just couldn't stop him. As soon as they took their eyes off him, he did it again. It was suggested by Ed Psych that he may not feel pain as we do. That he could have an exceptionally high pain threshold. Apparantly some children with ASD can either have very high or very low pain thresholds. Something to do with Sensory sensitivities from what I could gather. Anyway, they also established from the TA there , that he was also doing this alot during assembly, which suggested he was anxious when he did it. I think we are going to discuss it more at next session, so will let you know if I learn any more

 

Take care,

 

Debs

[oracle]

Sometimes the pain which comes with an action like this is comforting because it helps to blot out the 'real' issues. Does that make sense?

 

I know some adults with ASD who have told me that while they are picking it enables them to stop thinking about their anxieties and what is causing them

 

Oracle

[Paula]

No he doesnt take anti depressants.

 

But you know something i have recently started taking them due to depression and now youve pointed it out ive stopped sucking and biteing my thumb also and its starting to heal.

 

 

His fingers are a right mess this morning as the infection is drawn to the surface.

 

God bless him he sat realy good whilst i bathed them and the rotton stuff came out it must have hurt like hell yet he never batted an eyelid.

 

I think he does have a very high paine threshold i can understand this as i have also.I also understand the blotting out the real issues bit as i used to self harm in the past and i did that to blot out mental paine.

 

Thaks for youre replies.

[elaine1]

<'> you have my symapthy, my son bites his toe nails and i cant count the times i have had to take him to gp with a swolen puss filled big toe.

there is nothing i can do though he used to bite his nails but now he dosent, but his toes are a big problem. sorry but im no help at all!! <'>

[minerva]

I have always bitten my fingers, my son also does it and it seems the youngest one is just starting to get into the habit now......

 

I have absolutely no idea why i do it, its definately not so that i can feel the pain, it doesnt generally hurt as you do it but afterwards, especially if you eat something some crisps or something :|

 

I have had no success in getting myself to stop, it tends to go in stages though thats for sure. It definately is worse when i'm particularly nervous or stressed.

 

Not a lot of help I know, sorry

[UltraMum]

This article may be of interest - mentions antidepressants and also a B vitamin ...

http://www.homestead.com/westsuffolkpsych/SkinPicking.html

[Paula]

Mothereve.

 

Thankyou for the link.Long article but very informative.

 

It fits my son exactly.The contant nail biteing and skin picking.Hes become obsessed by searching his skin looking for the slightest mark and then he tries to remove it.

 

I think i will try the vitamin b supplements its worth a go.

 

thankyou for taking the time to find this link.

[UltraMum]

Mothereve.

 

Thankyou for the link.Long article but very informative.

 

It fits my son exactly.The contant nail biteing and skin picking.Hes become obsessed by searching his skin looking for the slightest mark and then he tries to remove it.

 

I think i will try the vitamin b supplements its worth a go.

 

thankyou for taking the time to find this link.

 

My pleasure

[minerva]

MotherEve

 

I read your post a while back & tbh as I was reading the link I was bored stiff!!

 

BUT!!!!

 

Since reading it I have successfully managed to stop chewing my fingers!! After almost 32 years of chewing my fingers actually look normal (ish lol)

 

I think for me it was the part which said about having OCD and not liking the feel of it. Since readin that I have been conscious of what I've been doing & when i've started going to pick at my fingers or chew them my head knows why i'm doing it & can stop it.

 

I have tried to stop biting ever since i can remember & never ever lasted this long.

 

Whether it's all in my head or not it was your post that got me started so thank you so much!!

 

I just have to get started on my sons and brother LOL

 

Thanks again

 

 

Nicke

[lil_me]

Sometimes it the pain, with my friends son it was the chewing sensation & she bought him a teething ring, worked a treat.

 

Would he understand if you made him wash his hands every time he chewed, because something she also did was make him wash them with anti bac handwash when he had done it, as the GP said was the saliva causing the infection. Taste of the washing soap also detered him a bit I think.

Edited June 6, 2006 by lil_me

[minerva]

Well i for one dont like pain lol

[minerva]

I just wanted to say that i'm still not biting my fingers YAY!!!

 

I always had nice nails but it doesnt seem to matter when you got cuts all over your fingers does it? Well they look lovely now!

 

I'm so glad this was posted, never been able to stop before