Fw: [VerbalBehavior] Obsessive Compulsive Behavior

[Guest guest]

Hi. I'm reposting because I didn't get any replies and our problem seems to

be escalating, if anything. We have been consitent about punishing my son

for going into our closets or the dryer (and now the washer), but we are not

seeing a reduction in the behaviors. Our punishment is to send him to his

room, which is not something he relishes - and has been an effective

punishment for other behaviors.

I'd really appreciate any ideas!!

Geraldine

[VerbalBehavior] Obsessive Compulsive Behavior

> My now 6 year old son has become obsessive about shirts. His interest in

> shirts started when he was 3 years old, but there weren't any problem

> behaviors until recently. Here are some examples of behaviors we are

> seeing:

> 1. When we come home, the first thing he does is run to his room to sort

> through his shirts and change his shirt.

> 2. When we are at home, he repeatedly runs up to his room and sorts

through

> his shirts and changes his shirt (this happens as many as 20 times a day,

if

> we are home for most of the day).

> 3. He opens the dryer and/or pulls all of the clothes out of laundry

> baskets looking for his shirts (this sometimes happens a dozen times a

day,

> especially if he can't find his favorite shirts.)

> 4. He pulls shirts off the hangers in my closet or my husband's closet

and

> climbs onto the top shelves of closets to pull down folded shirts.

>

> What is the antecedent? I don't really know, other than constant thoughts

> about shirts. The behavior occurs when we walk in the door, during meals,

> in the middle of favorite activities, on the way out the door, at other

> people's homes and stores...pretty much any time there might be the

> possibility of accessing a shirt.

>

> I had thought I would let this phase run its course, but it is becoming a

> real problem. If we go to a store, he will wander away to find shirts.

If

> we go to someone else's home, he tries to get into their closets and

> drawers. He cries uncontrollably if he can't find a specific shirt. He

> cries when it's time to go to bed and he hasn't decided on the perfect

> shirt. He wears two shirts because he just can't decide on one.

>

> Here are some of the things I have tried:

> a. Hiding all the shirts. But, then he resorted to tearing up my

husband's

> closet. So, I prefer to just let him have access to the shirts that

belong

> to him.

> b. Ignoring it. He has free access to any of the shirts in his chest of

> drawers. I didn't want to increase the EO by limiting his access to his

> shirts.

> c. Punishing it. He gets sent to his room for opening the dryer, dumping

> out the laundry baskets, or pulling out the shirts from anyone else's

> closet.

>

> None of it's working! Any ideas?

>

> Thanks,

> Geraldine

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> List Moderator: BurkABA@...

>

> List Home Page: VerbalBehavior (includes the

list archives).

>

> ****LIST INFO****

> TO POST: VERBALBEHAVIORGROUPS (DOT) COM

> TO SUBSCRIBE: VERBALBEHAVIOR-SUBSCRIBEGROUPS (DOT) COM

> TO UNSUBSCRIBE: VERBALBEHAVIOR-UNSUBSCRIBEGROUPS (DOT) COM

>