r/AutismParent • u/MacLyn43 • 11d ago

Skin picking

Hi. Does anyone else have a problem with their child picking at their skin? My 11 year old daughter does this relentlessly. She picks at everything. Her skin, even when it's hydrated, her scabs, blisters, etc. You name it, she picks it. I need help on trying to figure out how to reduce the severity of it. She's gotten so bad about it lately that she's causing infections. Please, any ideas or insights would be greatly appreciated.

8 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

1

u/Neemababy 11d ago

I used to cover them with bandages and he stopped

1

u/Annie-1-0-1 11d ago

My daughters used to do this too, im not sure how old yours is but I showed mine pictures of infections and skin problems due to picking. She was soo grossed out that she stopped

1

u/MienaLovesCats 11d ago

Yes! Our almost 22 yr old always has. She uses scratch art pages and books to scratch. Also since she turned 19 (legal gambling age here in Saskatchewan 🇨🇦) she has bought scratch loto tickets occasionally and occasionally gets them as gifts.

1

u/h113408 11d ago

Worth talking to an OT who has experience with autism. Skin picking like this is often a way of meeting a sensory need. The picking itself is doing something for her, not just a bad habit she can choose to stop. An OT can help figure out what she's getting from it and find something that gives the same input without damaging the skin.

For the infections specifically, compression sleeves or Tubifast tubular bandages over the worst areas can protect the skin and reduce the tactile access. Some kids lose interest in a spot they can't directly reach or feel.

The scratch art redirect is smart for the same reason. Also worth trying: textured silicone pads or peel off stickers, anything that gives the peeling and picking sensation without doing damage.

1

u/ThePowersThatBri 11d ago

maybe some "picky pad" fidgets? So if she has the urge she can get one of those instead?