• Replies 6 replies
  • Subscribers 65 subscribers
  • Views 2628 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

New member - Licking problem

fideist

Hi,

I am new to the community and have a 4 year old son who the Educational Psychologist believes is probably on the Autism Spectrum (albeit high functioning), we will have to wait three years for a formal diagnosis as that is how long the waiting list is around here, but from everything we have read and observed the diagnosis seems pretty clear.

Lately he has developed a habit of licking his fingers and hands (and sometimes other surfaces or objetcs) as part of a ritualistsic behaviour, the behaviour is very stereotypical and he has told his Mum that he likes doing this and cannot stop it. Our main concern is both social, in that its the sort of behaviour that may be offputting to other children and adults, and hygeinic, we are worried about his picking up germs as he is quite undiscriminating about this and does not respond to our explanations about the risk of bad tummies, sore throats etc.

We're at a bit of a loss to know the best way to tackle this so any advice would be gratefully recieved.

Thanks

Parents

  • Hi there, we've not had experience of licking but my son picks his fingers instead and often makes them bleed.  He goes through phases of doing it ... at the moment he's bad for it but it'll stop in a couple of weeks and be replaced with something else (usually noises) and then start again in a month of so.

    It's hard teaching our little ones about the dangers of picking up bugs etc ... my son has no concept of this (he's 7).

    Hope you get some help and advice.

    GG

Reply

  • Hi there, we've not had experience of licking but my son picks his fingers instead and often makes them bleed.  He goes through phases of doing it ... at the moment he's bad for it but it'll stop in a couple of weeks and be replaced with something else (usually noises) and then start again in a month of so.

    It's hard teaching our little ones about the dangers of picking up bugs etc ... my son has no concept of this (he's 7).

    Hope you get some help and advice.

    GG

Children
No Data