Nail picking?

lite-bright

DD1 has been badly, badly picking her nails for the last few months. Yesterday, it was so bad that I couldn't paint her nails -- she has a couple of cuticles that are just raw. It's both her hands and feet; picking, not biting or sucking. She asks for a bandaid when they hurt. I'm seriously thinking about putting her in socks all the time to see if at least I can get her to let those nails grow. 

On one hand, I did this myself (though not so extensively) and I know she's probably still seen me doing it from time to time -- although I'm way better than I used to be. I don't think I started at four, though. My sister has picked her nails so badly her entire life that they're stunted, and the thought of DD1 doing the same thing makes me so sad. Now I realize why it bothered my mom so much when I did it -- and I know she's only four, with ASD, so impulse control is a tough thing overall. 

She was upset that I wouldn't paint her nails, but she still says her own are "getting too long." I tried to explain that actually they're too short, and she needs to let them heal and grow so I can put polish on them (which she loves).

Ugh. On one hand I feel like a hypocrite b/c it took me a very long time to correct this in myself, but at the same time, I want to help her shortcut that if it's at all possible.  

She doesn't seem to have an aversion to me clipping her nails, which we used to do often; she likes having them painted. I don't know if this is a kid thing, an autism thing, an anxiety thing? Should I talk to the school OT? Has anybody tried to break a habit like this?

lite-bright

Thanks, auntie. She does love bubble wrap, I'll pick some up. 

Some of these things really make me wonder about myself as a child, though. I went through a phase in elementary where I pulled my eyelashes out. Not for any particular reason that I remember, it was just satisfying.

My parents freaked b/c they thought my eyelashes were falling out, and took me to several doctors; I didn't tell them I was doing it because I was scared that I'd be in trouble. Finally one doctor asked if I was pulling them out and I said yes. Eventually I just stopped on my own. It was a fiasco, though.  

I also very clearly remember sitting in class in HS picking at my nails, and realizing that I could focus better if I was doing that rather than looking at the teacher. It seemed to annoy one in particular, and I kind of relished the fact that she kept trying to catch me not paying attention and never could, because I was on top of exactly what she was saying even if it didn't look like it. If I wasn't exactly an autistic cousin, I certainly had some characteristics for a good portion of my childhood/teen years. 

kcisthebombdotcom

lite-bright:

Thanks, auntie. She does love bubble wrap, I'll pick some up. 

Some of these things really make me wonder about myself as a child, though. I went through a phase in elementary where I pulled my eyelashes out. Not for any particular reason that I remember, it was just satisfying.

My parents freaked b/c they thought my eyelashes were falling out, and took me to several doctors; I didn't tell them I was doing it because I was scared that I'd be in trouble. Finally one doctor asked if I was pulling them out and I said yes. Eventually I just stopped on my own. It was a fiasco, though.  

I also very clearly remember sitting in class in HS picking at my nails, and realizing that I could focus better if I was doing that rather than looking at the teacher. It seemed to annoy one in particular, and I kind of relished the fact that she kept trying to catch me not paying attention and never could, because I was on top of exactly what she was saying even if it didn't look like it. If I wasn't exactly an autistic cousin, I certainly had some characteristics for a good portion of my childhood/teen years. 

You sound a lot like I did as a kid. I had apraxia and likely SPD though I was never dx with the latter.

I was talking with my DD's OT the other day about my DD's stimming behavior (she does this weird thing with her hands) and asked if she was going to do that forever. She said likely not--the stimming behavior would likely change and manifest itself in some other way as she got older and would likely keep changing with time. I mentioned some of the similar "quirks" I had as a kid. My OT said that really, most people (NT or otherwise) have some level of sensory issues--she mentioned she has to chew gum to focus and does it as she's driving to the next child's house so she can redirect her focus to the kid she needs to see next. It's just when our sensory issues interfere with everyday life we need to intervene against them.