A Couple of Ideas-for Stimming Issues

I was writing on a web support group about a couple of behaviors that Dakota has or had and I responded with what I did to "do Battle " to conquer the bad habit  Here It Is:

Yep-- the chewing of the nails was a hard one but its weird Dakota and I kinda came to a solution together--- he had one bleeding so we had to put a bandaid on it--

WELL then he started wanting me to put bandaids on all of his fingers-- MAN did we go thru bandaids and of course they were Spiderman Bandaids-- I spent big bucks and was hitting all the stores from grocery to drug to find the "Spiderman Bandaids"cuz everyone was running out and they were changing to different characters-- he was walking around with 3 or 4 of his fingers taped up at once -- It was funny we started calling him "Fingers Ford" oh yeah and "Michael Jackson" but after about a year and a half he had a meltdown one day strung the bandaid all over the floor and I spent 4 hours getting him to pick them up and then --NO MORE BANDAIDS and now he has beautiful nails so he now insists on a manicure about every 4 days --BUT that's ok we have Nails!!!

 

The twisting of the hair started when he broke his leg 3 years ago-- he barely took any pain killers and it was a way to handle his pain at first I didn't fight him cuz I knew he was trying so hard to deal with his foot and leg what happened was after the intial trauma was it turned to a habit-behavior -stim- perseveration whatever you want to call it and I have been engaged in battle ever since--- I talked to our  hairdresser and what I have come up with was Vaseline-- I hate doin it but  --he gets one warning to please stop then I get a glop and rub it in the area he is "attacking"--- I know it seems cruel but I am committed to stop this self injurious behavior-- another thing I use is baby shampoo he is very tactile and cannot stand the feel of either substance-- He hates it but He is so handsome I tell him he doesn't need to be pre-maturly bald

Its a hard situation for us but I am making some progress the hair does seem to be rebounding-- I am keeping my fingers crossed

 

So there ya have it I guess a crude ABA  or interrupt and redirect therapy

Just my way of doin battle with Autism!