Skin picking 3 year old

[SuperAmoo]

My DD1 has picked herself since she was around 2 years old and it's getting worse and worse. She runs her fingers over her skin - usually her face and arm looking for something that feels rough to pick and then is quickly gouged into a hole in her skin which is picked again and again and again. She always has scabs on her arms and face - such a pity. She has lots of scars already. I know it's a self-soothing thing because I do it too and I can't stop either. I can't find a plaster she isn't allergic to so I can't stop her picking. Does anyone have any advice?

[Danthe4th]

filed nails, gloves, and covered arms and something else to fiddle with to try to break the habit.Can't really think of anything else,sorry not much help.

[FernieB]

Could she be bribed? One of mine was a compulsive nail-biter at 4. I managed to stop her by promising her she could have her nails painted for the weekend every time she didn't bite them for a week. Perhaps a similar thing with face paints or playing with mummy's make-up?

Also find her something else to fiddle with. Same daughter still has a 'fiddly thing' - bit of cloth that she fiddles with.

[jadey24]

oh bless i just had to reply to this as i am nw 27yrs old and started skin picking at the same age and still do but she may grow out of it. They think its linked to ocd ( obsessive complusive disorder) it is a compusion to pick and the urge is hard to ignore..i have tried till im red in the face lol and end up giving into my urge.
Ive tried all sorts of stuff to stop myself frm doin it to no avail.
My parents were forver at the docs with me in the early early days but as i was blissfully unaware of what i was doin to myself back then, i coudnt understand all the fuss and not tell them i was self harming in a way, so they wrote if off once they realised it wasnt an allergy or summit. At one point they thought i was allergic to the sun coz i was covered esp my face and hands. Now tho the docs will prob be able to help and give advice so it may be worth giving them a visit and see if u can knock it on the head before she hits adulthood as i dont know about u but i hate it and wish i cud stop but dont have enough control.
I do it for like u said self-soothing but also when im bored or stressed.

sorry cant be much help...there is website that has a forum for skin pickers thought id let u know.

xx