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Hi, I'm new to the group, checked out the message board and really

zeroes in on your post because my daughter is doing the same thing

and its driving me nuts! One thing we're exploring is acid reflux.

did some reading and found it tied to lots of excess saliva, noticed

the back of her throat was kind of red too, well we tried her on

Prilosec and the incidence went way down, disappeared actually, but a

week into it she stated hitting herself on the forhead. :( Trying

liquid antiacid now, but her hands are so rough and almost leathery

now, she's just dried them out completely. Does he want to drink alot

of water?She was asking for alot and just gulping it down, she really

seemed uncomfortable in the back of the throat area -is he getting

alot of oral motor therapy, maybe tactile defensiveness in the mouth

area? Throwing out stuff, and like you searching for the solution to

this because its a hot button behavior for me ugh.

> > Maybe it is a sensory issue? Have you tried oral stimulation,

> like a

> > flavorful gum or spicy hard candy? Could it be the salt he is

> > craving? Just my thoughts.

> >

> > -mom to Damin, 10

> >

> > > My 7year old not so verbal son constantly must lick his hands.

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Hi, I'm new to the group, checked out the message board and really

zeroes in on your post because my daughter is doing the same thing

and its driving me nuts! One thing we're exploring is acid reflux.

did some reading and found it tied to lots of excess saliva, noticed

the back of her throat was kind of red too, well we tried her on

Prilosec and the incidence went way down, disappeared actually, but a

week into it she stated hitting herself on the forhead. :( Trying

liquid antiacid now, but her hands are so rough and almost leathery

now, she's just dried them out completely. Does he want to drink alot

of water?She was asking for alot and just gulping it down, she really

seemed uncomfortable in the back of the throat area -is he getting

alot of oral motor therapy, maybe tactile defensiveness in the mouth

area? Throwing out stuff, and like you searching for the solution to

this because its a hot button behavior for me ugh.

> > Maybe it is a sensory issue? Have you tried oral stimulation,

> like a

> > flavorful gum or spicy hard candy? Could it be the salt he is

> > craving? Just my thoughts.

> >

> > -mom to Damin, 10

> >

> > > My 7year old not so verbal son constantly must lick his hands.

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http://www.danasview.net/handlick.htm

I did a web search and found this site. Maybe someone can find something

here that might help.

BETTY ANN-61 yo,

grandma and guardian to

ANDREW - 12 yo-- Bipolar/ADHD, Homeschooled

EVAN - 9 yo-- nonverbal autism

DAVID 7 yo Bipolar/ADHD/PTSD

and mother to ANDREA -32 yo, their mom -Bipolar/ADHD

wife to BOB - 72 yo, a very patient and tired grandpa

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Hi Betty, I checked out the web site and it was great! Lots of things

I had never considered bu that make a lot of sense.

> http://www.danasview.net/handlick.htm

>

> I did a web search and found this site. Maybe someone can find

something

> here that might help.

>

> BETTY ANN-61 yo,

> grandma and guardian to

> ANDREW - 12 yo-- Bipolar/ADHD, Homeschooled

> EVAN - 9 yo-- nonverbal autism

> DAVID 7 yo Bipolar/ADHD/PTSD

> and mother to ANDREA -32 yo, their mom -Bipolar/ADHD

> wife to BOB - 72 yo, a very patient and tired grandpa

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Yesterday after reading the posts, I thought, instead of me rubbing

the lotion on his hands -- I'll just put a big blob of lotion on his

hands. Well he liked that. So the person who wrote about sensory

issues is correct in this case. But I think it is sensory/obsessive

compulsive. Because the boy can't stop.

Before handlicking my son would bite his hands when frustrated,

happy or bored. Not enough to make the skin break, but enough to

chap them out like the other person wrote a post or 2 ago.

Last night I was out with an old friend who is in AA. We were

talking about how you have to " exchange " a bad behavior or habit

with a better one. Instead of meeting friends at bars, she meets

them for latte's. I exchanged latte's for tea at home and saved

money, calories and time, etc. I hope this analogies aren't too

stupid.... but it got me looking at redirecting behaviors in a

different way. How you always have to change them out with

something else that is satisfying to yourself, in order to ween

yourself from the bad behavior.

But I don't want to keep " rewarding " him with cream and turning that

into a major compulsion too. I guess it is a balancing act that

requires great patience.

Thank you all for your suggestions. It isn't like I can walk down

the street and ask my neighbors....

And to the person who thinks her child might have acid reflux. I

too thought my son had this last year and did a trial of Nexium (I

think that's what it was). Pepcid AC has gotten attention before in

the autism community.

> > http://www.danasview.net/handlick.htm

> >

> > I did a web search and found this site. Maybe someone can find

> something

> > here that might help.

> >

> > BETTY ANN-61 yo,

> > grandma and guardian to

> > ANDREW - 12 yo-- Bipolar/ADHD, Homeschooled

> > EVAN - 9 yo-- nonverbal autism

> > DAVID 7 yo Bipolar/ADHD/PTSD

> > and mother to ANDREA -32 yo, their mom -Bipolar/ADHD

> > wife to BOB - 72 yo, a very patient and tired grandpa

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Evan will also bite at his hands when he is frustrated. Enough to severely

callous his hands. He wipes off any thing we put on his hands to help heal

them so his doctor suggested antibiotic ointment after he falls asleep.

I remember years back a mother of twins brought up that when her girls were

toddlers one of them was having stomach problems and was put on either

Zantac or Pepcid AC by the doctor. That daughter did not develop as severe

autism as her sister did. She mentioned this about the time that the was a

lot of discussion on the leaky gut and Pepcid AC seeming to help.

I tried the gluten-casein free diet for Evan for about a year with little if

any results and I have also taken Evan to NAET for wheat allergy elimination

and did tapping at home for wheat. Each time, right after tapping Evan did

more of the mamama blabbing and then would stop. Perhaps that is a clue that

I should keep tapping on that.

BETTY ANN-61 yo,

grandma and guardian to

ANDREW - 12 yo-- Bipolar/ADHD, Homeschooled

EVAN - 9 yo-- nonverbal autism

DAVID 7 yo Bipolar/ADHD/PTSD

and mother to ANDREA -32 yo, their mom -Bipolar/ADHD

wife to BOB - 72 yo, a very patient and tired grandpa

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My son's teacher wrote a social story for handlicking. She said it

seems to be working. My son is just starting to get some receptive

language, but the " story " has lots of pictures.

He can read better than he can talk. So they read it with him every

morning

Example:

" markers, computer or play doh, no handlicking. Handlicking then

wash hands. Clean hands go to music "

The only thing I am worried about -- is if he becomes compulsive

about washing hands next. I don't want to trade that behavior for

another. One good thing is he is biting his hands less now that he

is handlicking and the lotion heals it.

I am going to try a story about keeping his clothes on at home too.

This story thing never worked for him in the past, but now it

might. Now whenever he has clothes on -- he thinks he is leaving

the house. He run's out the door. When the sitter came, I made him

put his clothes on and he thought he was going with me and had a fit

when he had to stay home.

Maybe if it was a song that went to the rhythm of the " Wheels on the

Bus " . The clothes on your body, stay, on, on, on. I'll try that

tonight!

> > Maybe it is a sensory issue? Have you tried oral stimulation,

> like a

> > flavorful gum or spicy hard candy? Could it be the salt he is

> > craving? Just my thoughts.

> >

> > -mom to Damin, 10

> >

> > > My 7year old not so verbal son constantly must lick his hands.

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  • 1 year later...

In a message dated 16/08/2005 23:28:12 GMT Daylight Time, williamsjm@... writes:

Does anyone know the significance of hand licking? We've noticed my grandson Luke has been doing this in recent days. I think I've seen a reference to this on a forum message but cannot remember the context.

>>>Dr JmC reckons its linking with Lead detox. Others have said mineral deficiency I think. Is he seeking salt?

Sorry not much help

Mandi

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  • 1 year later...
Guest guest

BJ, my oldest daughter licks her hands also. She says it is to clean them

off. She also spits on them (she has OCD but no TS) When she is very

anxious, she spits on them a lot! It's a bit gross. When she gets to a sink,

she

washes them so I guess that's good. Life is never dull, that's for sure!

Kelley in NV

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

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Ben also licks his hands. That's fairly new. Pretty gross. If he touches the

garbage can, he licks or the bathroom. We are kind of working on it. Mostly

resisting. The first time I noticed it was when he licked his arm when someone

bumped into him. Always something.

J

Re: Re: hand licking

BJ, my oldest daughter licks her hands also. She says it is to clean them

off. She also spits on them (she has OCD but no TS) When she is very

anxious, she spits on them a lot! It's a bit gross. When she gets to a sink,

she

washes them so I guess that's good. Life is never dull, that's for sure!

Kelley in NV

************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

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Guest guest

<<Life is never dull, that's for sure!>>>

You said a mouth full. lol

BJ

> BJ, my oldest daughter licks her hands also. She says it is to

clean them

> off. She also spits on them (she has OCD but no TS) When she is very

> anxious, she spits on them a lot! It's a bit gross. When she gets

to a sink, she

> washes them so I guess that's good. Life is never dull, that's for

sure!

> Kelley in NV

>

>

>

> ************************************** See what's free at

http://www.aol.com.

>

>

>

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Guest guest

Interesting. Your kid and 's kiddo sounds like it is a little

more blatent. With Josh it is when he is really concentrating on

something. He tends to twist his hands/fingers all up and holds them

up to his face. He used to chew on his hands, but now he just holds

them up there and occasionally, I will see him barely lick one of his

hands. His tongue will dart out and touch his hand quickly.

It could be he really doesn't know why he does it because he is really

very focused on something else at the time. I'm wondering if it is

something he has always done but because we are really focusing on his

OCD behaviors that I've noticed it now. If that's the case, it could

be such a habit for him that he doesn't know why he does it now.

Sometimes it seems hard to separate what is just typical child

behavior from what is an OCD behavior though. I remember chewing my

nails when I was young. I eventually quit, but it seems all kids have

some nervous behaviors. Sometimes it seems like it is a fine line

trying to figure out what to focus on and what not to. It can become

rather easy to start analyzing every little thing they do.

Thank goodness for Josh's therapist. Sometimes I feel so lost trying

to sort it out.

BJ

>

> Ben also licks his hands. That's fairly new. Pretty gross. If he

touches the garbage can, he licks or the bathroom. We are kind of

working on it. Mostly resisting. The first time I noticed it was when

he licked his arm when someone bumped into him. Always something.

> J

> Re: Re: hand licking

>

>

> BJ, my oldest daughter licks her hands also. She says it is to

clean them

> off. She also spits on them (she has OCD but no TS) When she is very

> anxious, she spits on them a lot! It's a bit gross. When she gets

to a sink, she

> washes them so I guess that's good. Life is never dull, that's for

sure!

> Kelley in NV

>

> ************************************** See what's free at

http://www.aol.com.

>

>

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One thing I've noticed Ben doing is that he says " I'm not going to lick my hand "

or " I don't have to go, I just went " (pee pee). Much improved over doing the

thing he is talking about. His main compulsion is telling his bad thoughts. At

first I thought that is what he was doing, but it seems different. I also worry

that this could lead to excessive hand washing or something. So far, he washes

once, but everytime he touches the dog, goes outside, touches his feet. The hand

licking is definitely deliberate, and he does it to keep them clean. I

explained that the germs get inside that way, but Big Bully doesn't seem to

care. sigh...

Re: Re: hand licking

>

>

> BJ, my oldest daughter licks her hands also. She says it is to

clean them

> off. She also spits on them (she has OCD but no TS) When she is very

> anxious, she spits on them a lot! It's a bit gross. When she gets

to a sink, she

> washes them so I guess that's good. Life is never dull, that's for

sure!

> Kelley in NV

>

> ************************************** See what's free at

http://www.aol.com.

>

>

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Guest guest

>

" His main compulsion is telling his bad thoughts "

This is 's biggest compulsion also. He does not act on his

thoughts but always feels the need to tell them no matter how

disturbing they are. We haven't seen the hand licking, but the hand

washing is definetly there. He also says all the time " Im not going

to do " so and so " so I feel like he is very aware of his

compulsions/obsessions.

Mom to age 9 (OCD diagnosis 2 weeks ago)

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  • 3 years later...

My son often licks his hand and especially when he touches wooden play structure

or gets a pen mark on his hand etc.His way of cleaning .....tried to redirect it

with wet wipes but no help.What do you think causes it.It comes and

goes.............so it confuses me

Thanks

Laila

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Sounds like mineral deficiency or yeast. My son used to mouth a lot of things.

Be careful of arsenic on treated wood.

>

> My son often licks his hand and especially when he touches wooden play

structure or gets a pen mark on his hand etc.His way of cleaning .....tried to

redirect it with wet wipes but no help.What do you think causes it.It comes and

goes.............so it confuses me

>

> Thanks

> Laila

>

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This habit comes and goes so i guess this is a good place to start

Thanks

From: Liz <elizabethsoliday@...>

Subject: [ ] Re: Hand Licking

Received: Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 11:48 PM

 

Sounds like mineral deficiency or yeast. My son used to mouth a lot of

things. Be careful of arsenic on treated wood.

>

> My son often licks his hand and especially when he touches wooden play

structure or gets a pen mark on his hand etc.His way of cleaning .....tried to

redirect it with wet wipes but no help.What do you think causes it.It comes and

goes.............so it confuses me

>

> Thanks

> Laila

>

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