Behavioral health? Is there anything I'm missing here?

Question

So my 10 yr old son who has PDD.NOS, and ADD.NOS has become irritable, and moody lately which I attribute to possibly beginning to have some hormone changes associated with puberty.

What is concerning is, he has begin picking his skin.  It is to the point of open sores.  They are small and there are a few.  He now has them on his face.  I realize he needs help, but there is none to be found? Everywhere I have called, I've asked for other options, and I get the same 3 or 4 which none work for the above reasons.

Where I live there are 1/2 dozen places I know of for behavioral health.  2 don't take our insurance, 3 aren't taking new patients.  I scheduled him, for an appt. for the END of July.  I tried other avenues, like neurologist (appt. also end of July), developmental-haven't heard back from, and I did get into a therapist next week.  This just doesn't seem sufficient.  Any advice please.  Oh and primary won't touch it.

I've worked inpt. they won't take him and I feel that would be too traumatic, a punishment for something that's beyond his control.

Georgie · Accepted Answer

Sorry your not getting the support you need for your son, just keep pushing to get the help he needs. Have you taken him back to see his pediatrician? They might be able to give you some suggestions on what is going on, and how to manage it. 

The irritable & moodiness certainly could be due to the hormones kicking in. But has there been anything different happening at school or home, that may have been a trigger to his skin picking, such as someone being ill, family member dying, new teacher or routine etc?

I guess its a sensory thing for him, bought on by stress of some sort, and it needs to be halted before he does himself serious injury. You could try gloves on him, so he can't pick at his skin, but unfortunately having gloves on, makes it difficult to pick up & grasp things, and may make him more irritable, which you don't want. Or you can try and direct & divert his attention to something else, or if you catch him picking calmly take his hands and say "NO picking". 

Books that are very good in explaining and dealing with puberty in children with autism spectrum disorders. 
Taking Care of Myself: A Hygiene, Puberty and Personal Curriculum for Young People with Autism - By Mary Wrobel
Autism - Asperger's and Sexuality: Puberty and Beyond by Jerry Newport and Mary Newport
Sex, Sexuality And The Autism Spectrum by Wendy Lawson

The book Where did I come from? by Peter Mayle, Arthur Robins and Paul Walter, is very simple book with good illustrations, and I know a few parents who have used this and the book Taking care of myself to help their autistic children learn and understand puberty. 

I wish I could give you more concrete ideas on what is going on, and how to manage this behaviours. 


One of the young people I worked with would pick at their skin until they bleed, so we had to put gloves on the, and when we took the gloves off, we had to direct & divert their attention if they started to pick at their skin. Another young person has a habit of pinching, everyone else, but themselves, so we'd direct & divert his attention, and if they came up to me and pinched me, I would grab their hands and so loudly no pinching,

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Behavioral health? Is there anything I'm missing here?

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