Childhood exploration

[loving2]

My difficult child...you always wonder what is normal for difficult child's...he has been exploring his boyhood (he's 4). I know that is normal for 4 year olds...and i also know that sometimes children do it to pacify themselves. I'm getting a little worried and maybe disturbed...he has been laying on the floor and rubbing on our cats...he's also doing it to his stuffed animals (which he lovingly refers to his pets). We're meeting with a doctor this week and we will let them know that this has started, but it's getting more frequent and the fact that he is just not touching himself, but using objects, well quite frankly it scares me. I'm so upset about this...I just can't stop thinking about it....

 

[loving2]

PS-difficult child diagnosis: Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) not otherwise specified, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anxiety, ADHD

 

[SRL]

Sometimes it helps to put parameters on this behavior --ie if you're going to touch, it has to be in your bedroom and hands only. Whatever you do, don't make a big deal of it, just redirect away from public areas of the house just like you would any other inappropriate behavior.

Is your son highly tactile sensitive? Is he getting occupational therapy?

 

[loving2]

We have been trying to limit the areas of the house. We have told him; if he feels he needs to do that it must be in the bath room and he must be in there alone. He does not receive Occupational Therapist (OT) and i don't know the answer to being tactile sensitive.

 

[SRL]

You might want to avoid bathroom so as to not add conflict to anything related to using the bathroom for potty.

Many children on the spectrum have nervous systems that interpret sensory stimuli differently than "normal". Sounds, odors, touch, textures, etc that may be pleasant to a neurotypical sibling might be an excrutiating assault on a child with sensory integrations issues. Conversely they may crave certain sensory stimuli (spinning, pressure, brushing of the skin, etc) because it helps them to feel better. What you've described is an issue with many 4 year old boys so I'm not saying it is related to sensory integration issues but you do want to educate yourself on this area. in my opinion, all kids on the spectrum should have a private Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluation for sensory and motor skill issues because they are much better addressed when the child is young.

Here's an intro article: http://www.tsbvi.edu/seehear/fall97/sensory.htm

Also check out the book The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz.