Addictive Type Behaviors-PDD Child

[Guest guest]

I need some advice with regard to my 4 year old son and his

behavioral issues. He is PDD-NOS primarily because of his language

delay, but he has/had some mild autistic features (tantrums, had

history of sketchy eye contact for a few months which resolved on

its own). In any event, I am becoming concerned that he has some

kind of co-morbid psychiatric condition along with his PDD or maybe

its just a part of it or something different all together, but I am

looking for someone who might have a similar experience. Here goes.

He is socially and emotionally quite connected and always has been.

His profile is this: language delayed, but developing normally (but

slow). He tantrums quite severely when he doesn't get what he

wants. He acts like an addict in my opinion. He becomes completely

obsessed with a particular toy or object. Right now it is cell

phones, cameras. He constantly asks to see everyone's phone,

therapists, teachers, strangers, etc. He asks to go to stores to

look at them. He derives great pleasure in this. He uses it as a

social tool, talking about it with everyone. He acts like a junkie

if he doesn't get a fix. In the past it has been various things,

cars, airplanes, crayons, sometimes certain family members or

therapists are the flavor of the week. He also seeks novelty. Our

cell phones are of no interest to him, but if a stranger rang our

door bell, he would frisk them down and demand to see their cell

phone. He is most interested in gaining what is forbidden to him.

It has become quite debilitating, we are unable to take him out in

public as he is so consumed by this latest addiction, obsession,

interest whatever the technical term may be. Oddly, he has no other

characterstics of OCD. He is messy, doesn't care about order, etc.

So maybe this is just a restricted interest? Whatever it may be it

needs help and nothing seems to work. Every time we try eliminating

the current addiction he just replaces it with the next thing. It

just keeps getting stronger.

At this point I would try anything, including medication if

necessary, I would love to hear if anyone has had success with

anything like this.