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Post by mom2skinpicker on May 23, 2004 18:38:51 GMT -5
Hi. My four year old son was picking dry patches of skin on his face. That stopped for a while now for the last month and a half he has picked the skin around his fingers. They are all red. He picks the skin that sticks up around the fingernail. My husband and I have tried to get him to stop but he wont. Anytime he is sitting he is picking them. I need help and dont know where to turn. I dont want this to go any further than it already is.
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Post by Shame Girl on May 24, 2004 13:34:15 GMT -5
Get him help..........anyway you can.
Does he have behavioral problems as I know from looking into my history and how this may have started I definitely had a stressful childhood as well as a mother and aunt who skin picked.
It WILL GET WORSE. Now that doctors see it as a condition there may be things they can do. How about ointment after his daily bath? Oatmeal body washes (Gerber makes a great one) helps with itching, etc. He may have eczema.............
Just an FYI, my very best friend destroys the cuticles around her nails and we recently discovered that her 5 year old does the SAME THING............it's a nervous tick that is definitely inherited I believe...........
Good luck
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Post by Bkfd CA on Jul 10, 2004 3:26:30 GMT -5
My daughter begin picking when she was three. In addition to treating her skin (oatmeal baths, chapstick, lots of water to drink, etc.) we also provide her with an SI diet. An OT trained in SI has been very helpful. For example, we build activity breaks into her daily preschool schedule, provide vestibular & propreoceptive input throughout the day, ice to chew on and handle (I freeze fruit juices for a softer cube), and keep fun fidgets around the house in the car & in a fanny pack at school. Many things have helped some, but the ice has been wonderful. We carry a "bottle bag" w/ ice everywhere. Now all of her friends want star-shaped ice cubes too. Good Luck!  Mom of a Child w/ Trich & CSP |
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Post by Mary on Jul 21, 2004 11:55:28 GMT -5
My son started picking too at about this age. I strongly urge you to consider his diet and restrict anything artificial esp artificial sweeteners and colours, but dont single him out for this or he will feel isolated, different and punished also dont say it is to help him stop the picking just that you are concerned for the whole family to eat more healthily. you could also try him with a long course of essential fish oils (not just cod liver oil). I found bringing the habit to his attention and telling him to stop was not at all helpful. My husband found it impossible to leave the subject alone and in hindsight I think this heightened my sons anxiety. Also consider the psychological reasons why he may be doing this, is he being picked on by someone, what is making him anxious, does he feel less than perfect for someone, does someone focus on how he looks rather than on the positive aspects of who he is inside, is there a sibling issue going on? get everyone to back off this, give him loads of love and attention and keep a watch for any problems he may be unable to express. I wish you and your family well and if I can help any more I would be pleased Mary |
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Post by Bkfd CA on Jul 28, 2004 1:24:19 GMT -5
FYI:
I thought of you when I saw the flyer. You could be anywhere (but I thought I'd share the info. just in case you are nearby) about the two TLC presentations on Trich and Skin Picking that are taking place in Bkfd, CA on 08-16-04 from 8:00 to 12:00am and 6:00 to 8:30pm. It will address the topics of young children as well as adults. The presentations are fully funded so they are free. I don't believe that it will cover diets (though I know of a director who tried diet and supplements with her child with positive results that will be attending), but it will touch on just about everything else as well as give the attendees resource contacts and access to support and treatment networks.... It sounds good, but you never know. My staff and I will be attending both of them. The morning one will be at Kern County Mental Health and the evening one will be at our local FRC, H.E.A.R.T.S. Connection. I can send details if you are interested or I can write-up what I learned and post it. But, I need help with the latter--how do I take the article from my word program and post it here?
Mom of a child w/ Trich & CSP
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fcarea
Junior Member
Posts: 64
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Post by fcarea on Aug 16, 2004 0:07:05 GMT -5
I've picked my around my finger nails for as long as I remember (now I'm 17). It wasn't until I hit puberty that my CSP problem really took off, though. The same thing can be unfortunately expected, in my opinion, from children who do this (especially if there is a history of OCD/CSP in the family).
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Mom of a Child w/ Trich & CSP