Darn, what is with the licking????

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Darn, what is with the licking????
15
Fri, 03-23-2007 - 1:28am

Chris used to lick me and objects when he was between the age of 4 and 7. He has stopped since then but likes to mouth me. He places his lips like on my neck or ears and like goes uhm uhm uhm... Over and over again until I say enough, stop please. Its hard for him to actually stop.

He kisses me tons. I mean tons so much to were its too much. Today he started licking me again, on my cloths.... shoulder, arm etc.... this was while we were leaving the doctors getting him a referrel to a Ped Neuro, to make sure he's not having seizures.

Why is he doing this again when he stopped for awhile? My 7 yr old licks me and himself too, so now I have two lickers!!! ARGGHHHH!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Sat, 03-24-2007 - 2:49pm

Lainie,



Peter used to be a licker and I was one of his favorite targets. (I have soft skin ;) )


I think it's a sensory thing and probably a response to stress. If you try raising his other sensory interventions, (I know you probably can't reduce his stress), maybe the licking will abate?


-Paula

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2004
Sat, 03-24-2007 - 3:37pm

Dear Lainie,

I guess I should consider myself lucky, because the no licking rule is one of the few rules my nearly 3 year-old complies with. (Well, once in a while he plants one on the back of my hand.) However, rarely does a day go by when he does not ask me if he can lick me! Everyday, I have to say, "Of course you can't lick me, silly goose, you're a boy, not a dog." Ha, ha, ha. It's our special little ritual. What a treat.

When he asks to lick a lot, I give him a frozen lemonade pop. He likes to lick that in any season.

Sidney

APOV on Autism
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2005
Sat, 03-24-2007 - 4:49pm

Ohhhhh, Jade was a licker too. She used to lick walls, dorrnobs, the dishwasher, the TV screen... anything smooth. She eventually outgrew it, and none of my other kids did it much (thankfully).

I have no advice. Jade just eventually outgrew it. Now, as a teenager, she chews gum a lot. She doesn't actually chew it, she just chews it till it's soft then flattens it out over her toung or the inside of her check. How is your 7yo with gum? Maybe that'll work, lol, I know.

But, I'm with you! It's a bit frustrating, and gross. I didn't mind the TV screen so much because I cleaned it every night with vinegar solution. But I about had kittens the time she licked the headlight of my car (right in front of a bunch of people too). EWE!

~Candes

APOV on Autism

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Sat, 03-24-2007 - 8:00pm

Yep...Claire's a licker. It's not as bad as it was about a year ago, but it's still pretty gross. Just last week, we were getting glasses for Noah and Claire at Lenscrafters and low and behold, there she was, licking the windows. It's embarassing, and gross...but I've come to laugh it off. (Three years ago I would've balled my eyes out.)

She used to lick her siblings a lot, and it would make Noah furious! I wish I had a dime for everytime I said, "Claire! Stop licking your brother. You're making him nuts!" (Back then she understood nuts to mean "mad".)

Since Claire has so many oral sensory issues, I don't dissuade the licking because I consider it her way of "learning" how things feel. So, like Candes, I'm without advice as to how to stop it. But hey, at least you know you're not alone!

Amy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 2:26am

Wow really Paula? Do you mean like get him a mini trampoline and doing some sensory stuff with them? I ended up getting both boys one for Easter. I'd rather get them something like that or a toy even, than a bunch of candy.

Thanks Paula :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 2:30am

Sidney, I love how you say "Dear Lainie" when you respond to me. It makes me smile :). I love it!

Hey a frozen thingy might help with this too. My kids like to eat anything frozen lol. I'll try that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 2:37am

LOL @ the headlights! Well my 7 yr old doesn't do that well with gum, as he either swallows it or it ends up where its not supposed too...... I might try the frozen idea tho Sidney gave.

Your post reminded me of the time my 10 yr old (about 4-5 at the time) licked the glass case that held all of the seafood in the store. I immediatly went EWE. Sure enough, he got the flu....

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-28-2006
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 2:50am

LOL I have to say, I'm cracking up over hear over all of your posts, and even tho there's no cut solution, I have to say, just knowing people who understand, and who have been/are going thru this helps immensly!!!

This doesn't have anything to do with licking (or autism at that) but it reminded me of the time I took Christopher (10 yr old now, 2 or 3 then) to the park right after it rained. I was talking to a bunch of moms and all of a sudden I looked over at Christopher and he was face deep into a mud puddle drinking the muddy water.

EWWWWEEEEE moment alright, funny and embarrassing lol.

Thanks guys,

Lainie

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-13-2006
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 5:04pm

David used to do stuff like that when he was little, but more often it was grabbing my arm and trying to feel the hairs with his finger.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Sun, 03-25-2007 - 8:19pm

Drinking from a puddle? That's nothing.


Peter used to eat dirt. As soon as you took your eyes away for a second, he would start to munch away on old Mother Earth. He would smile and his teeth would be full of it! (Ugh!).

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com

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