Autism and emptying shampoo bottles etc..

[Tiredmummyneedswineandsleep]

DS just turned 6 has high functioning autism. He is obsessed with emptying bottles of shampoo, shower gel, bubble bath etc.. Up its cost me a fortune this week, replaced everything Today (again!) and he has done it again tonight. I told him if he did I would ban him from his new DS for a few days. I got him to repeat it and he did and said he understood. Any ideas as to why he does it please and how to stop him?

I sympathise as ds has had lots of pouring and emptying and now tearing up obsessions. It is v frustrating. Giving him some to use for this purse might help as suggested but you will also have to start putting away others. I used to hide my cereal in my car as ds used to want to pour out the contents! You might find he will move on from this eventually. I find its a phase with ds. Trouble is he then moves on to something else.

I've got some interesting pictures of ds's works of art (pouring bottle out and mixing) on my floors. I was running around ragged trying to be one step ahead of him, but I learnt fast that everything needs to be locked away in bathroom and kitchen. He then moved on to collecting random objects and hiding them all over the house.

More cost effective than having to keep cleaning the carpets and replacing shampoo, hand wash etc.

I buy the big cheap bottles (tesco value, asda smart price). They are all different colours and very cheap. He is 8 now and doesn't do it so much but still loves it

I changed to solid soap and solid shampoo (from lush) and moved everything else away so ds could not reach it. I gave him a few plastic bottles and cups which he fills with water and pours out. He also has a spray bottle he likes using too. I kept it like this for a long time and now have moved everything back and ds has not touched the shampoo etc. But he still continues to empty lots of other things around the house, toy boxes etc. I think my ds will always enjoy by emptying things and making a big mess.

You have just reminded me that ds (asd, ld) did this for years, drove me mad, but then it just stopped. I think maybe they grow out of some stuff quite naturally. Not sure if that helps. We got a locked cupboard and cheap stuff

Yes that developmental stage point is very true zzzz as there are lots of v annoying things he used to do (eg running taps till bathroom flooded) that he has now grown out of or lost interest in. He is still though v fond of carrying around everywhere straws and coathangers, which exactly chimes with the "attachment to unusual objects" criterion from the other thread

My ds does this! It drives me mad as he always picks my best lotions and potions and not the cheap stuff! I have had new shelves put in the bathroom to store my things on and i now buy a few bottles of value soap or bubble bath. Now i come to think of it though, ds has suspected ocd and went through a hand washing phase that made his skin literally peel off his hands. Maybe this has something to do with my ds's obsession with emptying soap bottles.

Thanks guys, it's been going on a few years now and shows no signs of stopping. I give him empty bottles in the bath but it seems they're not the same. Will have to find new hiding places. Have switched from hand wash to bar soap for hands as could've had shares in cares before!

oooooh yes! its sensory for one thing. Pouring from one bottle into another, pouring and smearing over the floors, toothpaste pictures on the windows. Food dyes was another fascination of DSs and what it looked like poured into the sugar container!

Then sprays. The amount of times I nearly broke my neck slipping on a sprayed wood flooring!

I gave up and bought a small Tall boy for our bedroom and filled it. Everyone had their own wash bag so it was a bit like camping hols lol but less stress.

Next I gave DS a "science" kit of disposable gloves, mini pots, cotton buds, mini microscope and told him if he just asked then he could have rather than go into my cupboards!

gave him small bits of salt, oil, washing liquid, colouring etc oh and shampoo and toothpaste. and paper so he could smear if he wanted too.

Yes it was a mess but so is painting :)

The programe backyard science is also a trigger for experiments!

I keep small plastic bottles and partially refill them with watered down coloured shower gels, just for ds. As he is inclined to help himself to anything in the bathroom, I keep anything that matters(precious or too harsh for sensitive skin) hidden away. Ds is nearly 14 and it' a nuisance.

Forgot to mention we have several liquid timers - the sort with coloured liquid and turning wheels, that acts like a sand timer when turned through 180. However nothing beats the real thing!

DS1 does this - and he's 9! We just keep the bare minimum bottles by the bath and put all the others out of reach when he's in the bath. When he's been particularly impulsive, he gets his shampoo/shower gel measured out for him and has to put up with one of us standing over him, with the reminder that, if he wants to be treated like a big boy, he needs to resist the temptation to make a mess.

DS did that. Emptied bottles of shampoo or anything liquid all over the bath.

He used to call it 'making patterns'.

He also used to get toilet roll, wet it and mould it into shapes which he used to leave to dry in the bathroom.

It used to drive me NUTS!

You have my sympathy.

Yes! Glad I'm not the only one. I keep everything out of reach now and try and find play opportunities for that kind of sensory experience.

Wetaugust - I have wet loo roll shapes stuck to my walls, they're a bugger to get off!

DS's other penchant is putting towels, nappies and toilet roll down the loo.

Do not let him ever know the pleasures of a pack of felt tips with their ends removed and a tap