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Compulsive behavior




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Our daughter with CdLS is seven years old. She has been experiencing such behaviors as peeling off the wallpaper in her room and smearing her feces. We are not sure how to address this behavior. Do you have any suggestions?



Antwoord van onze experts

Your daughter sounds like she has some of the typical "compulsive" behaviors that all children with CdLS have  picking and disassembling things, flipping things, and other repeated actions. Her smearing is usually a "phase," but could reflect some behavior learned, sometimes for its effect on the other people in the house as much as for her own gratification. Does the smearing behavior generate a reaction from you or other "grown-ups" such as might be something she enjoys making happen? Similarly, children with CdLS often learn to interact with their world in unusual ways because of their particular sensibilities (limb abnormalities, speech delay, neurological changes, etc.) so that they "enjoy" things that stimulate these senses even though the overall effect seems to us a BIG negative.



Some ideas:


Behavioral: Try simple "shaping" techniques. Reward her for periods of "positive behaviors" (i.e. not peeling or smearing) with a favorite treat and lots of enthusiasm and whatever behavior of yours she responds to the most favorably.



Distraction: Provide alternative substances for her to smear, peel etc. Shape this into (eventually) a child's sense of the "right" and "wrong" things to play with. Try easier-to-clean things with potent (but more pleasing) smells.



Look at the medical: Is she distracting herself from some noxious inner sensations? Any behavior at this age is suspect for a manifestation of some internal discomfort. It is possible that she is experiencing pain related to a medical problem. Consider a visit to her pediatrician to rule this out.



DS/ TK 7-13-10

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Aanbeveling(en)

Pijn en gedrag

R18
Omdat pijn makkelijk gemist kan worden bij een kind met CdLS, dienen alle zorgverleners zich bewust te zijn van de verschillende uitingsvormen en mogelijke bronnen van pijn. Het gebruik van specifieke hulpmiddelen om pijn te beoordelen worden aangeraden.

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Houd er rekening mee dat de Ask the Expert service  is gemaakt door vrijwillige professionals in verschillende aandachtsgebieden. Antwoorden worden niet beschouwd als een medisch, gedrags- of educatief consult. Vraag de Expert is geen vervanging voor de zorg en aandacht die de persoonlijke arts, psycholoog, pedagogisch adviseur of maatschappelijk werker van uw kind kan bieden

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