DS and his obsessing

[Notthecarwashagain]

DS (8) has motor and vocal tic disorder and currently (for the past 3 years!) being assessed for asd.

I'm at a loss at how to help him at the moment as he's going through an obsessing phase. I know it will go again, but in the meantime I'm finding it quite embarassing (sorry I know that's unkind) and I'm also struggling to reassure him.

Last year he went through a stage of being convinced he'd licked something- bottle of bleach, someones' shoes, dogs bum, carpet, pavement...and Wouldnt leave me alone, asking "will I be ok?"
This past month it's come back again, only its things going in his mouth.
Yesterday, as an example, I had some gravel delivered and "when the man took his gloves off, some sweat came out and went in my mouth"

This goes on all day, he's scared if I've used chemicals, scared that dirty towels have gone in his mouth- these things aren't happening, he just seems convinced that they have.

At the moment I'm saying, "it's fine DS, it doesn't matter" but when he's asking me in public, I've occasionally got the face from someone hearing me tell him that it doesn't matter that he has bleach or some other random nasty stuff in his mouth.

Does anyone else have a DC that does this, or has experienced it?
Would really appreciate some advice please!

[basgetti]

I'm also going through this with DS (nearly 7). His current obsession is bees. It can take up to 2 hours to persuade him to leave the house if at all, we have to plan our walk to avoid bushes, flowers or anywhere bees may be. He won't go into the garden and constantly repeats a tale of DP being stung by a bee when he has a kid.

A few months ago it was aliens and he refused to go anywhere in the house unescorted because he thought they would get him.

With the bees we have bought some bug repellent and give him a spray before we go anywhere. We call it his forcefield and that is helping a bit. But we have to be creative and find something specific for each new obsession when it crops up. The alien one was hard because nothing worked except shadowing him constantly.

[blankblink]

Just a quick idea that may help you trying to figure something out.

Could you find something small, maybe put a tiny coloured paper dot on one lip, that he could envisage gave the protection of say a dentists facemask, so that when he had it on, literally nothing could get into his mouth (except his safe food and drinks) without him removing the 'mask' first, then he'd feel more in control.

[Notthecarwashagain]

Sorry your DS (and you) is going through this basgetti.
The bug repellent is a brilliant idea!

Blankblink, that sounds really good, will definitely look into making something like that.

I'm not sure what's happening with CAHMS Polter, a while back it was decided he was too young, then my GP said he should be referred but the school needed to do it, and the school said GP should..,in the end the school nurse did it but I'm still waiting to hear.
He is so very anxious all the time.

Thankyou for your messages, it really helps to know people understand

[Notthecarwashagain]

Hope it's ok to bump my post.
DS has got a lot worse and is now obsessed about germs on his hands, as well as around him.
He's not eating properly, worried that his food has touched the table, sofa, worktop, my clothes, his clothes.
He changes his clothes 2 or 3 times a day (but because he only has 3 pairs of trousers that he will wear, I'm folding bottoms and putting them back)
He screamed and cried yesterday because I'd put his duvet on his "dirty" beanbag while I fixed some slats under his bed.

I'm exhausted and getting nervous not knowing when I'll upset him again, so goodness knows how he must be feeling.
His poor hands are a mess but he can't bear his epiderm cream on them, because again, it's dirty.

His dentist recommended I give CAHMS a ring to check that they were aware of him (they weren't) so I've called the gp who's giving me a call back later.
The lovely lady I spoke to at CAHMS said if I get no progress with paed or gp to call her back to see what can be done from their end.
But it's all so hard isn't it?

I just want someone to help him