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Nose Picking; How Do We Stop It?
Hello!
I have a 8 year old son who is diagnosed with ADHD, Anxiety, SPD/IPD and rule out of Asperger's/PDD.
Ever since he could, that boy has picked his nose and yes, will eat it. We have tried many things to get him to stop and his response is usually, "I have to..."
We have tried rewarding him, punishing him (not physical) and even used cyan liquid on his nails in hopes this would make him stop. The only thing it did was cause my younger son to have a desire for spicy food because his brother would stick his fingers in his younger brother's mouth to wash away the dried cyan liquid.
In the past we were told he would grow out of it but now the teacher mentioned to me today that the kids have been complaining about it the past few weeks and she is concerned it might become a bullying issue.
How do we curb this behavior?????
I have a 8 year old son who is diagnosed with ADHD, Anxiety, SPD/IPD and rule out of Asperger's/PDD.
Ever since he could, that boy has picked his nose and yes, will eat it. We have tried many things to get him to stop and his response is usually, "I have to..."
We have tried rewarding him, punishing him (not physical) and even used cyan liquid on his nails in hopes this would make him stop. The only thing it did was cause my younger son to have a desire for spicy food because his brother would stick his fingers in his younger brother's mouth to wash away the dried cyan liquid.
In the past we were told he would grow out of it but now the teacher mentioned to me today that the kids have been complaining about it the past few weeks and she is concerned it might become a bullying issue.
How do we curb this behavior?????
Best Answer
Thank you all for the responses!!!! :)
We have been using warm wash clothes and he has been much better about "cleaning out" his nose before school. :)
We have been using warm wash clothes and he has been much better about "cleaning out" his nose before school. :)
COMMUNITY LEADER
Great response. Knew that somebody else had to have "been there." The warm wash cloth is a good idea. I really wasn't too sure the saline nose wash was going to go over very well. Thank you for sharing!
COMMUNITY LEADER
Well, since we have been communicating for the last 7 or 8 months, let me try and give a little practical advice. Now this may not work and if it doesn't the school really needs to be aware of what is going on so that any bullying will not be allowed.
So my idea is - he is picking at his nose probably because he has got boogers in there. If his nose is clean, there is nothing to pick at (or eat). Now this is where a doctor might have some good ideas. But my first is doing a saline nasal wash. But, I am not sure he would go for that - but who knows? If explained right, using warm liquid, maybe letting him do that? Second idea is to give him a swab with vaseline on it and coat the inside of his nose at night and morning. Besides getting the evil boogers out, it makes the whole nose less receptive. And its great in low humid areas.
Also, does he have allergies that cause a runny nose? Clearing that up should also help.
But essentially, a good clean out before he goes to school should make a difference. Its figuring out how to do it that will be the key.
Hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas of a way to go. Please keep me informed how this works out. I've got a feeling that you are not the only parent who has had this problem.
One last thought - does this happen at any time of the day? or only at a particular time. I am also wondering if his meds are running out and he reverts back to a non medicated, impulsive behavior?
So my idea is - he is picking at his nose probably because he has got boogers in there. If his nose is clean, there is nothing to pick at (or eat). Now this is where a doctor might have some good ideas. But my first is doing a saline nasal wash. But, I am not sure he would go for that - but who knows? If explained right, using warm liquid, maybe letting him do that? Second idea is to give him a swab with vaseline on it and coat the inside of his nose at night and morning. Besides getting the evil boogers out, it makes the whole nose less receptive. And its great in low humid areas.
Also, does he have allergies that cause a runny nose? Clearing that up should also help.
But essentially, a good clean out before he goes to school should make a difference. Its figuring out how to do it that will be the key.
Hope this helps or at least gives you some ideas of a way to go. Please keep me informed how this works out. I've got a feeling that you are not the only parent who has had this problem.
One last thought - does this happen at any time of the day? or only at a particular time. I am also wondering if his meds are running out and he reverts back to a non medicated, impulsive behavior?
Given his number of diagnoses and potential treatments for these conditions, I wouldn't want to second guess the situation by recommending something that probably would be counterproductive. My recommendation would be to discuss this situation with his pediatrician. Also, the school counselor who may be more familiar with your son than forum members, might be able to offer some helpful ideas.
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So, I got to work on this issue. I talked to his doctor and he began an over the counter allergy pill (claritan chewables for kids). This helped but didn't stop 'the problem'. So, I also did some talking about this subject. We talked about how gross it is to eat it! (I mean, like who wouldn't just know that, right?) I gathered it was just happening with out his even thinking about it. because if you think about that . . . it will most likely get a yuck out of most people. And it did from my son. He wasn't attached to this whole thing but rather it was habit and just happening.
So, I taught him how to blow his own nose. I had been holding the Kleenex up to his nose for him at home saying "blow" but realized he wasn't with me a chunk of the day and he needed to take care of this business himself. I taught him to blow, to press one side if he needs to, and how to clean it all up without drawing too much attention or making anyone sick to their stomach watching him. Also to get those Kleenexes in the trash upon completion of the clean up mission. I bought about a gazillion of those little Kleenex packs and put them in the front section of his backpack where he could see them, in the zip up section, his coat pocket, his pants pocket and had some for his desk at school. They were always easily accessible. And instead of using the hand, he then could use a Kleenex. This sure cuts down on hand involvement which then winds up in the mouth.
Before school, I would take a warm, wet wash cloth and wash his face and hold this around his nose to 'loosen' things up and then had him blow right into it using it to wash his face. Wow, does that clean out a nostril. I bought a big pack of plain white wash cloths (like 50 of them) and then would just throw it in the laundry. This did work better for us than saline as that saline wash out I guess doesn't feel great. During bouts of allergy related bloody noses, we have to do that and it isn't a huge hit. Mom with a nice warm wash cloth goes over a little better at our house. But certainly if the saline works well and your son will do it--- its a great choice for cleaning out.
And that about covers it. I got the hands out of the process of cleaning/picking which stopped any involuntary eating. And I talked about the eating to make it undesirable so that he'd 'make an effort.'
Happy to report, he eats pretzels and goldfish for snacks rather than the boogs now.
Have I disgusted anyone yet? (sorry if I did).