3yo Picking Skin/Dermatillomania

[WindyCityMom]

Hi.  Has anyone gone through this before?

My 3yo picks her skin constantly. 

When she was 1, she used to pick at the skin on her upper back just below her neck.  She outgrew that (we thought maybe it was from tags on shirts but she did it even with tagless garments).  She'd pick so much she'd bleed.  She still has scars.

She's ALWAYS picking at her nails. 

She has scabs all over her thighs, upper arms, knees, sides, and right below her belly button.  She's always scratching and picking.  I thought it had something to do with it being winter and being dry but even oatmeal baths and moisturizing regimens haven;t put a dent in her habit.

I, as an adult, have dermatillomania.  For me, I pick at my scalp- it's not so much that I do it until I bleed though.  I find myself doing it in times of great stress. 

What should my course of action be for my DD?  I really don't know what to do.  I've asked her why she does it and she just answers "because".  She doesn't really "get" it.  She just turned 3 last week, btw.  She's a pretty laid-back kid- I don't know why she'd be stressed or worrysome.

Anyways.. I hope someone will be able to help me out.

[ecoteat]

I'll be curious to see what you find here. I picked at my skin as an infant and have scars on my face. And I still do. And I hate it. I hope someone can help you find a way to break your dd's habit!

[lookatreestar]

i am a picker too... not horrible but def more than the average person. so is dd, but luckily it is just scabs vs skin (still ugh!) and i keep her busy with stickers but she picks paint/glue too.

[WindyCityMom]

Thanks :) Anyone else?  I'm going to bring it up to her doctor the next time we go...

We try to keep her nails short, she sleeps in a sleeper or with socks on at least so it's harder to get to her feet.. I just don't know.  I feel bad for her.

[HikeMama]

Curious to see if this has resolved? Dealing with similar issue.

[june'smom]

My seven year old also does this.  I think it is a learned behavior.  I pick at my skin and I think that dd just learned the habit.  I would love to know how to resolve it, for both her and I!

[LynnS6]

My 2 cents: I think this is a sensory thing. Given her recent diagnoses, is there any way you can get her occupational therapy? I also know that my son's sensory habits (hair twirling/pulling, picking fuzz off his socks) increase when he's stressed. From other posts of yours that I've read I'd wait until you've moved out to worry much about this. Once your family stress is under control, you're in a place that's not full of mold & lead, and you've had her on her new diet for a while, you'll get a sense of how serious this habit is.

In the meantime, you might be able to redirect her to pick fuzz off things. I bought ds some cheap socks that pill. He spends a lot of time when he's bored (reading, watching tv) picking the fuzz of them. It's much preferable to pulling his hair, so I've not said anything.