Aspergers / ADHD DD scratching hands till bleeding! Help!

[Snozcumber]

That's about it really, my DD1 aged 4 has Aspergers and ADHD, she has always had certain compulsions, over-widening her eyes, constant humming etc. but they have never been anything damaging or that I felt I needed to stop her doing.

Recently, she has started scratching the skin inside of her fingers with her finger nails (which are very short because she bites them ) mainly when she is trying to control her own behaviour, so sitting watching tv or reading both at school and home. I've tried giving her something to hold and play with during these times, as soon as she is forced to concentrate on what shes doing not on whats in her hand she drops it. It has got to the point that it looks like we take sandpaper to her hands and they are bleeding.

She really doesn't know she's doing it, and I was just wondering if anyone had any similar experiences, and any tips to try and either stop her or protect her hands! I'm willing to try anything, this is just one of those little things thats really starting to get to me, because I can see shes hurting herself.

No advice but I can sympathise-my DS is 10 and has AS. He washes his hands and arms so often that they are rough and bleeding-the skin is actually thickening where it has been going on for so long.
He is under the CDC for treatment but it is not helping much. To make matters worse he won't allow me to put cream on except when he is asleep, so not often enough to heal the skin. It looks awful

DS2, scratches the back of his hands, the skin is starting to look thick and red. I think he does it because they get a bit chapped ,he washes his hands more than most kids but never dries them! I have not had much luck stopping him doing any of his funny habits but then i have never managed to completely give up biting my nails either. I have considered getting one of those funnel shaped collars that vets put on dogs and cats to stop him picking his nose though. I have wondered about the kind of thin, soft cotton gloves that kids with excema sometimes wear at night, there are some good web-sites for excema clothing (which also have seam free socks and underwear!)

Snozcumber

Just a thought but could she be given something to hold, wear or have easy access to (ie a pocket) that would encourage her to stroke rather than scratch - furry material or even something to squeeze - almost something that is the opposite to what she is doing iykwim.

I used to scratch the top layer of skin off my knuckles, scrape my shoulders with a razor until they were raw and even today if I am feeling a bit anxious I will find myself scratching at my hands and arms.

I was going to suggest a squeezy type thing too to distract. good luck yr poor dd my dd aged 9 (same dx as yr dd)usually bites her arms/back of her hands when stressed so i sympathies

have a look at her skin, it could be either itchy or dry, or was,

if she formed the habbit why it was dry the patternt can contenue,
it i is dry try seeing if you can do somethign about that,

if not well moving the 'pattern' into something else could be difficult,
but you cold try something its a bit mean but it might work,

look into a capsicin based nailpolish like te kind used to stop nail biters, pait the nails with that and if it works, when she scratces it will hurt and pain should prove a motavator to stop.
harsh i know but its a last resort situation. also capsican woulnt do any harm it just hurts.

Thanks for all your replies, somehow it helps to know its not only her, and also that other people can't stop it either.

She has alot of chemical and food sensitivities that make both conditions alot worse as well as making her ill. I think wraith is right and that it was a habit started when she used some new felt tips at school and got some on her hands that must have iriitated her.

Have tried giving her something to hold and it only works whilst she can give it her attention, as soon as she has to say read a word she doesn't know which requires her attention, she forgets about what shes holding and goes back to scratching.

Thanx again for the sympathy and support
Snoz xx