Anyone dealt with very strong OCD behaviors causing SIB?

December 9, 2008

I'm new to the group and in desperation so I found all of you online

and hope you can offer me some advice. My son is 9 and non-verbal

and does have SIB, mostly head banging and throwing himself down on

the floor on top of his knees. I've dealth with all this a long

time and he had been in a 40 hour ABA program for 4 years so I've

seen a lot. But now we have this new thing. He gets these OCD

phases that seem to last a few days to 2 weeks. He gets fixated on

something to the point it's like he almost cant control it. It's

never been real bad - mostly he wants to rub the skin on your back

all day (sensory), or having to do the same routine for something or

he goes into a fit. But this new one centers around food. He wants

to eat french fries and brings me the bag from the freezer. I bake

him about 6 to 8 fries (because this goes on all day and he has a

weight problem). He stalks me the whole time they are in the oven,

brings me a plate, tantrums at times waiting and then I get the

fries out, put them on his plate - he either dumps them on the floor

or puts them in his mouth and spits them out. Then goes to get the

french fry bag again to bake more. I of course say no and then the

huge fit starts. Throwing himself around, trying to pull the tv in

himself, trying to hit the windows, hitting himself, etc. This goes

on for about 30min to over an hour. I cant ignore the behavior

because he is SIB. So all my time is spent making sure he doesn urt

himself. Then he calms and the whole process starts again. This

does not happen at school, not in the community just at home. And I

can see the behavior start to esculate. He doesnt come home from

school and it starts immediatdly. It seems to build. I'm not sure

what this is. He is completely non-verbal so I cant ask him. He

also has limited receptive language so he doesnt understand most of

what I say. His whole self is different right now. He's not my

little boy. He was very self entertaining, watched movies, played

with toys, worked on internet and now everything is these french

fries. I feel like he doesnt even understand himself or know whats

going on. He is on 1.5 mg of risperdal and that's it. Some allergy

meds. All of which he has been on for a long time. I would think

maybe this is a pain response but then why only at home. He cant be

having teeth pain or ear ache only at home. I'm just desperate.

I'm nine months pregnant and extremely tired and I'm worn out from

this routine. I've been tryign to break the OCD cycle by engaging

him in playdough or something else but then he's right back in it.

It's one week into the behavior so I'm hoping if this is a phase

there's only one more week - but I dont know how to survive this

next week. ANy helps would be apprecited. We are also moving to a

new home and I've done a social story with him on this. I would

think that possibly it could be a reaction to that but why only

around the french fries? Please help

December 9, 2008

I am no expert but if you are moving maybe he is trying to tell you

not to forget to pack the french fries to take to your new house.

Just a thought.

>

> I'm new to the group and in desperation so I found all of you

online

> and hope you can offer me some advice. My son is 9 and non-verbal

> and does have SIB, mostly head banging and throwing himself down on

> the floor on top of his knees. I've dealth with all this a long

> time and he had been in a 40 hour ABA program for 4 years so I've

> seen a lot. But now we have this new thing. He gets these OCD

> phases that seem to last a few days to 2 weeks. He gets fixated on

> something to the point it's like he almost cant control it. It's

> never been real bad - mostly he wants to rub the skin on your back

> all day (sensory), or having to do the same routine for something

or

> he goes into a fit. But this new one centers around food. He

wants

> to eat french fries and brings me the bag from the freezer. I bake

> him about 6 to 8 fries (because this goes on all day and he has a

> weight problem). He stalks me the whole time they are in the oven,

> brings me a plate, tantrums at times waiting and then I get the

> fries out, put them on his plate - he either dumps them on the

floor

> or puts them in his mouth and spits them out. Then goes to get the

> french fry bag again to bake more. I of course say no and then the

> huge fit starts. Throwing himself around, trying to pull the tv in

> himself, trying to hit the windows, hitting himself, etc. This

goes

> on for about 30min to over an hour. I cant ignore the behavior

> because he is SIB. So all my time is spent making sure he doesn

urt

> himself. Then he calms and the whole process starts again. This

> does not happen at school, not in the community just at home. And

I

> can see the behavior start to esculate. He doesnt come home from

> school and it starts immediatdly. It seems to build. I'm not sure

> what this is. He is completely non-verbal so I cant ask him. He

> also has limited receptive language so he doesnt understand most of

> what I say. His whole self is different right now. He's not my

> little boy. He was very self entertaining, watched movies, played

> with toys, worked on internet and now everything is these french

> fries. I feel like he doesnt even understand himself or know whats

> going on. He is on 1.5 mg of risperdal and that's it. Some

allergy

> meds. All of which he has been on for a long time. I would think

> maybe this is a pain response but then why only at home. He cant

be

> having teeth pain or ear ache only at home. I'm just desperate.

> I'm nine months pregnant and extremely tired and I'm worn out from

> this routine. I've been tryign to break the OCD cycle by engaging

> him in playdough or something else but then he's right back in it.

> It's one week into the behavior so I'm hoping if this is a phase

> there's only one more week - but I dont know how to survive this

> next week. ANy helps would be apprecited. We are also moving to a

> new home and I've done a social story with him on this. I would

> think that possibly it could be a reaction to that but why only

> around the french fries? Please help

>

December 9, 2008

Maybe just remove the french fries from the house all together ???

Then there would only be one tantrum because they are gone. Not lots and lots because he can get the french fries.

Subject: Re: Anyone dealt with very strong OCD behaviors causing SIB?To: AutismBehaviorProblems Date: Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 1:45 PM

I am no expert but if you are moving maybe he is trying to tell you not to forget to pack the french fries to take to your new house. Just a thought.>> I'm new to the group and in desperation so I found all of you online > and hope you can offer me some advice. My son is 9 and non-verbal > and does have SIB, mostly head banging and throwing himself down on > the floor on top of his knees. I've dealth with all this a long > time and he had been in a 40 hour ABA program for 4 years so I've > seen a lot. But now we have this new thing. He gets these OCD > phases that seem to last a few days to 2 weeks. He gets fixated on > something to the point it's like he almost cant control it. It's

> never been real bad - mostly he wants to rub the skin on your back > all day (sensory), or having to do the same routine for something or > he goes into a fit. But this new one centers around food. He wants > to eat french fries and brings me the bag from the freezer. I bake > him about 6 to 8 fries (because this goes on all day and he has a > weight problem). He stalks me the whole time they are in the oven, > brings me a plate, tantrums at times waiting and then I get the > fries out, put them on his plate - he either dumps them on the floor > or puts them in his mouth and spits them out. Then goes to get the > french fry bag again to bake more. I of course say no and then the > huge fit starts. Throwing himself around, trying to pull the tv in > himself, trying to hit the windows, hitting himself, etc. This goes > on for about 30min to over an

hour. I cant ignore the behavior > because he is SIB. So all my time is spent making sure he doesn urt > himself. Then he calms and the whole process starts again. This > does not happen at school, not in the community just at home. And I > can see the behavior start to esculate. He doesnt come home from > school and it starts immediatdly. It seems to build. I'm not sure > what this is. He is completely non-verbal so I cant ask him. He > also has limited receptive language so he doesnt understand most of > what I say. His whole self is different right now. He's not my > little boy. He was very self entertaining, watched movies, played > with toys, worked on internet and now everything is these french > fries. I feel like he doesnt even understand himself or know whats > going on. He is on 1.5 mg of risperdal and that's it. Some allergy > meds. All of

which he has been on for a long time. I would think > maybe this is a pain response but then why only at home. He cant be > having teeth pain or ear ache only at home. I'm just desperate. > I'm nine months pregnant and extremely tired and I'm worn out from > this routine. I've been tryign to break the OCD cycle by engaging > him in playdough or something else but then he's right back in it. > It's one week into the behavior so I'm hoping if this is a phase > there's only one more week - but I dont know how to survive this > next week. ANy helps would be apprecited. We are also moving to a > new home and I've done a social story with him on this. I would > think that possibly it could be a reaction to that but why only > around the french fries? Please help>

December 10, 2008

This sounds like something my son would do. His goes in phases and

sometimes when he loses interest it stops. His last one was the

washing machine. I live in an apartment and he goes to the cupboard

and point to the quarters. Then he wants me to put in a load of

clothes and sit on the step and listen until they are done. If

don't wash clothes, then a meltdown. This was for like 6 months.

Only recently, has he lost interest and is content just looking at

the washing machine and knowing it is still there. He is mostly non-

verbal and when ask him questions on his tech talk he will

answer " yes or no " Sometimes I just don't know what to ask. Sorry I

don't have an answer, but I could see Cody doing this too.