pica

[jay]

Sigh... our son David (age 9) was picking up objects that had been swept out from under the living-room futon. We have an ongoing issue with him putting foreign objects -- called "pica" -- into his mouth... it's a constant battle of "spit that thing out!" with him. Most kids outgrow this when they're toddlers, but David's autism means that he stubbornly clings to some behaviors that are typical of a much younger child.

Tonight, he picked up a small socket (lost from a ratchet set) from the dust pile, and was playing with it. At some point (I was in another room, and Pat had her head turned in the kitchen) he popped it in his mouth... it is cylindrical and smooth, and he swallowed it. After a call to the after-hours pediatric nurse, and an attempt to swallow bread (he gagged, so is probably partially blocked) he's off to the emergency room with patgreene. (shakes head)

Comments

[oceansedge.livejournal.com]

Yeah.... the folks at "Poison Control" used to know me by first name.
*hugs*
best of luck for a fairly untraumatic visit to the ER.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

You understand... thanks for the hug. As long as he makes it back in one piece...

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Good luck. :/

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[who-is-she.livejournal.com]

hope everything goes ok.

what do you do to try to extinguish this behavior?
does rewarding him for not doing it affect his behavior at all?

it must be, in some way for him, a very enjoyable behavior.
and I know, sometimes it's hard to find a reward that is more rewarding than a given behavior!!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

I think it's a oral comfort mechanism... a reason why some people take up smoking, or overeat. Things to watch out for in the future, in his case.

Hopefully the negative consequences of the behavior, this time, will finally give him enough disincentive to stop it...

[who-is-she.livejournal.com]

"Hopefully the negative consequences of the behavior, this time, will finally give him enough disincentive to stop it..."

uh.......don't count on it. His desire to do this is not logical. How unpleasant WAS This experience? Was he in pain? or were you just distressed about how to proceed with him having ingested a foreign object?

What do "the experts" say about this? is there anyway to offer a substitute, something appropriate.. that can fill the oral fixation need? I mean, obviously a pacifier is not age-appropriate! but basically.. that's what people are doing when they smoke or nail bite....
.... but of course you don't want to suggest either of those activities to your child. :)

best of luck, and remember we're all here in LJ land when you need to talk.....

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

Good luck to him!

I can remember as a kid inhaling a round oval boiled sweet and blocking my own windpipe. Not being able to breathe for a couple of moments until I womped it out with a powerful exhalation (it actually flew across the room) was something of a nightmare. I became rather less keen on boiled sweets after that. Not that I'm recommending such an approach to bahavior modification!

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

David apparently was convinced this evening "they're going to cut me open, aren't they?" I suppose I should be sympathetic, but... maybe the experience will have a lasting positive effect?

[shadopanther.livejournal.com]

When my grandmother was a girl, she swallowed a pine nut (whole). It got stuck in her windpipe & she had a surgery to get it out.

I don't remember at the moment why she swallowed it without chewing it or why it went down her windpipe -- I think it was an accident. I think the time period was somewhere between 1910-1922.

-- Shadopanther

[hopeforyou.livejournal.com]

Gah. What is it with the emergency room this week?

I'm so sorry to hear it. I hope he is okay and he stops the pica.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

A bad run of luck? Sigh... glad that you're home now, too.

[geekchick]

Yeesh. I hope he's okay.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

Thanks. No word yet from Pat... I'm waiting up.

[dancing-star.livejournal.com]

Having a 9 year old who also puts everything in his mouth, I understand, hopefully everything goes ok in the ER, and the iteam is cleared with little pain.

[brian1789.livejournal.com]

(nods) the habit still bugs me... I just hope it isn't too painful.

[dancing-star.livejournal.com]

Bugs me also, but all I can do is mention the fact when I catch him putting things in his mouth, and try to remind him it's not a good idea.

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Oy. I can't tell you how many times we've had to say something similar to Allegra. Then again, I chew my pencils, so there's not a whole lot of high ground for me here.... *wry smile*

Glad to hear via later post that he's basically OK. What a joy.