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Self Injury Red Flags
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 45062" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>Don't look on this as genetic. I don't see cutting as a genetic thing, apart from a very tenuous association via other conditions which have some component of heredity. </p><p></p><p>So leave blame out of it.</p><p></p><p>I also don't see this as cutting. I DO see it as Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) and his way of trying to deal with it - he has trouble connecting physical sensation with certain stimuli, and is experimenting. Plus, he's admitted anxiety to you, and this is very nasty sometimes, the kids often have to get very creative in finding ways to overcome it.</p><p></p><p>Example: I used to get VERY anxious at the dentist. This is because I had a butcher of a dentist who should have been struck off. I still burst into tears if a dentist these days suggests drilling without anaesthetic, even if it's really not going to hurt. So when I was a kid, when the dentist was hurting me, I used to dig my nails into my other hand and really concentrate on the pain I was causing, so I could try to ignore the pain the dentist was causing. Because the pain from my nails was under my control, I could vary it and in doing so, continue to distract myself hopefully for long enough. And part of me, as a kid, was hoping the dentist would notice and maybe realise how badly I was hurting, to have to do this.</p><p></p><p>I also would do this at times of extreme stress, such as being harangued by a teacher in a very nasty way. I would focus on the self-inflicted pain to distract me from the emotional pain the teacher was causing, because I was determined to not let her see me upset.</p><p></p><p>I still do this at the dentist or if I'm having to endure pain, such as getting a drip put in (or when they were putting local anaesthetic in my toe, prior to surgery).</p><p></p><p>I don't consider this to be classic self-mutilation, because my aim was to use my control of pain to distract me from pain I could not control, and it was only with extreme, short-term pain. I've also never drawn blood.</p><p></p><p>Back to Seb - this has a different 'feel' to me, than the cutting my two middle kids were doing. Yes there are similarities, but I think that's coincidental.</p><p></p><p>Certainly tell a therapist or specialist, but also tell them in conjunction with a full description of everything else that is happening for him. How does he score on the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) test? He doesn't have to take it, you do the test on the computer, answering from the point of view of parent. It's not official, but it can be useful informally.</p><p></p><p>What this reminds me of - the cattle press that Temple Grandin had made for herself. She found that controlled pressure, what SHE can control, relaxes her. Her personal cattle press appplies pressure under her control, so she feels safe. But the pressure helps too.</p><p></p><p>I wonder how Seb would go with a weighted vest? We have one for difficult child 3 but he doesn't wear it much. Mostly I think he's forgotten we have it. It was made for us by a local seamstress who makes them for other autistic/Aspie kids but looking at it, it's fairly easy. It's double-stitched with french seams and long, narrow pockets all around it on the inside - two on each side at the front, four across the back, running from the armpit to the hem. She also made the weights - 200g each, sandbags double-stitched like a feather doona (duvet, quilt, whatever you call it). We add or subtract sandbags as needed, to 5% of the child's body weight (the official weight) or, frankly, to the level the child chooses.</p><p></p><p>If not handled well this COULD turn into self-mutilation more directly, but it could also be possible at this stage to help him find something as effective but less potentially injurious. He's talking freely to you, there is no sense of shame about this, he's not trying to hide it.</p><p></p><p>I really do think he's trying to connect to his physical sensations (as distinct to his feelings) and needs help in this - but practical help, such as spreading out a range of physical sensation options and taking notes with him as he tries out each one. A soft towel. A furry blanket. A cold pack. A hot pack. A tight belt. Tight jeans. A heavy coat.</p><p></p><p>easy child 2/difficult child 2 has tight corsets (think "Pirates of the Carribbean") which she says are "like wearing a hug", only SHE is in control of how tight the corset is. She even wore them to school, under her uniform. She doesn't wear them often these days, but I did notice she does wear them more when she is feeling stressed.</p><p></p><p>Good luck with this one.</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 45062, member: 1991"] Don't look on this as genetic. I don't see cutting as a genetic thing, apart from a very tenuous association via other conditions which have some component of heredity. So leave blame out of it. I also don't see this as cutting. I DO see it as Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) and his way of trying to deal with it - he has trouble connecting physical sensation with certain stimuli, and is experimenting. Plus, he's admitted anxiety to you, and this is very nasty sometimes, the kids often have to get very creative in finding ways to overcome it. Example: I used to get VERY anxious at the dentist. This is because I had a butcher of a dentist who should have been struck off. I still burst into tears if a dentist these days suggests drilling without anaesthetic, even if it's really not going to hurt. So when I was a kid, when the dentist was hurting me, I used to dig my nails into my other hand and really concentrate on the pain I was causing, so I could try to ignore the pain the dentist was causing. Because the pain from my nails was under my control, I could vary it and in doing so, continue to distract myself hopefully for long enough. And part of me, as a kid, was hoping the dentist would notice and maybe realise how badly I was hurting, to have to do this. I also would do this at times of extreme stress, such as being harangued by a teacher in a very nasty way. I would focus on the self-inflicted pain to distract me from the emotional pain the teacher was causing, because I was determined to not let her see me upset. I still do this at the dentist or if I'm having to endure pain, such as getting a drip put in (or when they were putting local anaesthetic in my toe, prior to surgery). I don't consider this to be classic self-mutilation, because my aim was to use my control of pain to distract me from pain I could not control, and it was only with extreme, short-term pain. I've also never drawn blood. Back to Seb - this has a different 'feel' to me, than the cutting my two middle kids were doing. Yes there are similarities, but I think that's coincidental. Certainly tell a therapist or specialist, but also tell them in conjunction with a full description of everything else that is happening for him. How does he score on the Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) test? He doesn't have to take it, you do the test on the computer, answering from the point of view of parent. It's not official, but it can be useful informally. What this reminds me of - the cattle press that Temple Grandin had made for herself. She found that controlled pressure, what SHE can control, relaxes her. Her personal cattle press appplies pressure under her control, so she feels safe. But the pressure helps too. I wonder how Seb would go with a weighted vest? We have one for difficult child 3 but he doesn't wear it much. Mostly I think he's forgotten we have it. It was made for us by a local seamstress who makes them for other autistic/Aspie kids but looking at it, it's fairly easy. It's double-stitched with french seams and long, narrow pockets all around it on the inside - two on each side at the front, four across the back, running from the armpit to the hem. She also made the weights - 200g each, sandbags double-stitched like a feather doona (duvet, quilt, whatever you call it). We add or subtract sandbags as needed, to 5% of the child's body weight (the official weight) or, frankly, to the level the child chooses. If not handled well this COULD turn into self-mutilation more directly, but it could also be possible at this stage to help him find something as effective but less potentially injurious. He's talking freely to you, there is no sense of shame about this, he's not trying to hide it. I really do think he's trying to connect to his physical sensations (as distinct to his feelings) and needs help in this - but practical help, such as spreading out a range of physical sensation options and taking notes with him as he tries out each one. A soft towel. A furry blanket. A cold pack. A hot pack. A tight belt. Tight jeans. A heavy coat. easy child 2/difficult child 2 has tight corsets (think "Pirates of the Carribbean") which she says are "like wearing a hug", only SHE is in control of how tight the corset is. She even wore them to school, under her uniform. She doesn't wear them often these days, but I did notice she does wear them more when she is feeling stressed. Good luck with this one. Marg [/QUOTE]
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