Health knowledge made personal
Sounds like it could be some sleep disorder or other, like sleepwalking... Has your friend tried having her child wear gloves to bed? I would suggest cotton gloves, the light sort that are usually given to people who have to put cream on their hands and then cover it with the gloves. Cotton is best because it's soft and non-scratchy, and you want gloves rather than mittens because you want to be sure the kid will still be able to use his hands with them on--they can't be too annoying or he will just pull them off again. Also check to see whether this is a medication side effect. Sleep disturbances are very common side effects, and it could be that the kid is taking medication that is making him more prone to this. Of course if he's not on meds then that can't be the issue :) Good luck.
Write a comment:
|
Posted by Jessica
My friend's son is 7 years old and he is autistic. In his sleep he scratches his arms and legs until he bleeds, sometimes enough to need a visit to the doctor. My friend has tried everything he can think of to help his child but all of his attempts have failed. It's heartbreaking to see this poor child suffer. It doesn't seem that he is having an allergic reaction to anything (Benadryl and similar medicines do not work). Does anyone know a cause for this behavior and how to prevent it before he scratches himself again? What works???