Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Hi, I wonder if all this falls under the " skin picking " disorder. See the following: http://www.homestead.com/westsuffolkpsych/SkinPicking.html Has she had any recent med changes? I'm glad her OCD has gotten better. Any thing change lately so far as might be causing a bit of stress/anxiety? Puberty beginning? single mom, 3 sons , 15, with OCD, dysgraphia and Aspergers > Hi. My 9 year old daughter is picking/chewing/ripping skin off her > fingers, bottom of her feet and on her arms and legs (which started > as mosquito bites etc.) She has also has anxiety/adhd/and is gifted. > She first started having problems at 5 years old (might have been > strep-induced but not sure). Afraid of dying, death in general, germs > (handwashing), closing her eyes at night (though she would die), > eating food (poisoning)... But this had gotten much better! She is > taking Prozac for the anxiety/ocd, Adderall for adhd, and Remeron for > sleep. Her therapist and psych ask me if I think this is a habit, a > compulsion, or is she trying to harm herself. I just don't know what > is going on. She doesn't seem depressed. She does this picking all > the time and often in private when we are on her case about it. Any > ideas or suggestions? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Some would say that it's an " OCD Spectrum disorder " . I have, for many years, picked the skin around my cuticles. I have no other OCD type symptoms. My daughter definitely has OCD. There is no other OCD family history that we are aware of. I suspect that she gets her OCD genes from me and that it's a matter of degree. Her psych and therapist have both said that they believe the the picking is an OCD spectrum disorder. My cuticle picking doesn't interfere with my every day normal functioning. Of course, I'd rather not do it. It does have a sort of compulsive feel to it. When Billie's OCD is bad, it definitely interferes. Kathy > Hi. My 9 year old daughter is picking/chewing/ripping skin off her > fingers, bottom of her feet and on her arms and legs (which started > as mosquito bites etc.) She has also has anxiety/adhd/and is gifted. > She first started having problems at 5 years old (might have been > strep-induced but not sure). Afraid of dying, death in general, germs > (handwashing), closing her eyes at night (though she would die), > eating food (poisoning)... But this had gotten much better! She is > taking Prozac for the anxiety/ocd, Adderall for adhd, and Remeron for > sleep. Her therapist and psych ask me if I think this is a habit, a > compulsion, or is she trying to harm herself. I just don't know what > is going on. She doesn't seem depressed. She does this picking all > the time and often in private when we are on her case about it. Any > ideas or suggestions? Thank you! > > > > > Our list archives, bookmarks, files, and chat feature may be accessed > at: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group// . > Our list advisors are Gail B. , Ed.D., Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., > Aureen Pinto Wagner, Ph.D., and Dan Geller, M.D. Our list moderators > are Birkhan, Castle, Fowler, Kathy Hammes, > Joye, Kathy Mac, Gail Pesses, and Kathy . Subscription > issues or suggestions may be addressed to Louis Harkins, list owner, > at louisharkins@... , louisharkins@... , > louisharkins@... . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Skin picking is not a symptom of OCD, but many kids with OCD do pick. My daughter picked her scalp until it was a real mess when she took Adderall. It stopped when she switched medication (she takes Concerta now instead). Of course it was hard to stop because there were so many scabs, but once she switched meds, she was able to stop picking long enough for it to heal, and she hasn't had that problem since. I'd suspect the medication if it began at some point after she started medication (even quite a while afterward - it took several months before the picking started with the Adderall). Our therapist worked with my daughter on finding alternative activities whenever she felt the urge to pick. First she had to consciously notice WHEN she did it, then she had to plan for those moments and have an alternative in mind ahead of time (for example, when watching t.v. she chose to always draw, in school she used a squishy ball to keep her hands busy). It worked. Good luck! in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2004 Report Share Posted July 28, 2004 Thank you for refering me to the article below! It seems to be what is going on with my daughter. Unfortunately it is hard to get a 9 year old to want to change habits. Do you know of any tips or ideas to help youngsters have the motivation to make the appropriate changes?..We have continued to up her Prozac over the last two years trying to help solve this problem, and we addedd Adderall last December and changed her sleep meds, but I don't think her picking has changed during any of this. > > Hi. My 9 year old daughter is picking/chewing/ripping skin off her > > fingers, bottom of her feet and on her arms and legs (which started > > as mosquito bites etc.) She has also has anxiety/adhd/and is > gifted. > > She first started having problems at 5 years old (might have been > > strep-induced but not sure). Afraid of dying, death in general, > germs > > (handwashing), closing her eyes at night (though she would die), > > eating food (poisoning)... But this had gotten much better! She is > > taking Prozac for the anxiety/ocd, Adderall for adhd, and Remeron > for > > sleep. Her therapist and psych ask me if I think this is a habit, a > > compulsion, or is she trying to harm herself. I just don't know > what > > is going on. She doesn't seem depressed. She does this picking all > > the time and often in private when we are on her case about it. Any > > ideas or suggestions? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Hi Liz, I missed your original post but wanted to chime in, my 10 year old does this too at time, bites her nails ferociously, and pulls (hair--the dog's not her own so far, feathers out of pillows, any little thing sticking out of something else, or something out of alignment seems to trigger this.) In reading the list over the years, it does seem these behaviors are very common in kids with OCD. I've read that SSRIs are of little help and may make this behavior worse, which has been our experience and perhaps explains why increasing your daughter's Prozac hasn't had any effect on it. When my child trialed several SSRIs in the space of a year, it was obvious that some really increased this behavior while others did not. Prozac btw was the absolutely worst in her, in terms of amplifying this picking/biting/pulling behavior. I am NOT saying that Prozac causes this behavior, no doubt this varies by child... My child also draws or fiddles with some toy (we have a number of stretchy, fiddly things sitting in a small basket on the table next to the couch) while watching TV, and fiddles with other items such as a pencil with a rubbery doohickey on top while at school. This helps, but truly the nailbiting and etc. causes my child a lot of embarrassment and upset, she feels a failure in not being able to stop these behaviors altogether. Referring to your original post, why on earth are the doctor and therapist asking *you* if this behavior is a habit, a compulsion, or self-injury?? Don't they have that backwards? :-) Take care, Kathy R. in Indiana ----- Original Message ----- > Thank you for refering me to the article below! It seems to be what > is going on with my daughter. Unfortunately it is hard to get a 9 > year old to want to change habits. Do you know of any tips or ideas > to help youngsters have the motivation to make the appropriate > changes?..We have continued to up her Prozac over the last two years > trying to help solve this problem, and we addedd Adderall last > December and changed her sleep meds, but I don't think her picking > has changed during any of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Hi. My oldest daughter is a picker and we noticed that it happens more when she is stressed. I pull my eyelashes and that too is stress-related. We have done several things with Hannah to help her to stop. We read that if a picker stretches out their arm and fingers when they get the urge, it can help. Sometimes it does help. Deep breathing also helps and so does seeking out other people. Hannah tries to be around people when she feels like picking. She also no longer shaves her legs, which caused little knicks that begged to be picked and uses Nair instead. I know your daughter is too young for this but it won't be long! I have stopped pulling out my eyelashes by not allowing myself to do it even once. I have found that once I start, I can't stop. It's the first time in 22 years I have had eyelashes on both eyes! I do think that it is a stress release and that if done long enough, it does become a habit. Hannah used to pinch herself when frustrated but it was different than the picking. Good luck! Kelley in NV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 29, 2004 Report Share Posted July 29, 2004 Hi Liz, You have just described my germ and death phobic son when he was nine years old (handwashing, etc)- except he didn't do any skin picking. However, it may be interesting for you to know that my husband (44) bites his nails AND the skin around his fingers and nails -like a maniac! I've always considered this a compulsion. You might want to give Strattera a try. We tried all kinds of meds with (Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, you name it) and the BEST one for him was an ADD medication of all things! The problem as I see it (and I'm no expert), but the Adderall might be *stimulating* your daughters anxiety. If she were my daughter, I'd take her off Prozac (which contains an energizing component and is good for depression but NOT anxiety). I'd also take her off Adderall (a stimulant). Try Strattera. If it doesn't work - hey, you can always try something else. But, when you do, make sure the med doesn't contain anything that will stimulate the anxiety. Also, keep her OFF caffeine!!! (another stimulant). 's OCD went thru the roof this summer because he was drinking too many Cokes and Pepsi's. We switched to juices and caffeine free sodas - and the OCD has been GREATLY reduced. Good luck and STAY STRONG! Joni > Hi. My 9 year old daughter is picking/chewing/ripping skin off her > fingers, bottom of her feet and on her arms and legs (which started > as mosquito bites etc.) She has also has anxiety/adhd/and is gifted. > She first started having problems at 5 years old (might have been > strep-induced but not sure). Afraid of dying, death in general, germs > (handwashing), closing her eyes at night (though she would die), > eating food (poisoning)... But this had gotten much better! She is > taking Prozac for the anxiety/ocd, Adderall for adhd, and Remeron for > sleep. Her therapist and psych ask me if I think this is a habit, a > compulsion, or is she trying to harm herself. I just don't know what > is going on. She doesn't seem depressed. She does this picking all > the time and often in private when we are on her case about it. Any > ideas or suggestions? Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2004 Report Share Posted August 9, 2004 I know I am a little behind here reading email. Sorry. I can't speak to hair pulling and some of the other things but my ex husband did experience a huge benefit to medication for his extreme nail biting. They were always bleeding and if he did manage to stop long enough to let one grow, they grew in deformed because he had bit them so short for so long. He was diagnosed with OCD and bipolar and was in an acute depression at the time. Nail biting was the farthest thing from either of our minds. He was treated with Zyprexa 5 mg and Celexa 20 mg and within a week or so, his nail biting just stopped. He didn't even realize it until he went to scratch and itch and cut himself because he wasn't used to having nails. I can't say which medication it was that helped as he started both together but one of them did stop his nail biting. He never bit them again until he stopped them. It is possible that it was the Zyprexa due to how fast it worked and how quickly he started biting again (within 2 weeks) when he stopped both meds cold turkey. Either way, I wouldn't say there was no hope. R. --------------------------------- Post your free ad now! Yahoo! Canada Personals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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