Strange question about childs habit

[jmartinez1895]

My son is 5 and has many health problems. One thing we have stuggeled with is frequent ear infections. One of his conditions make him ver sensitive to things ( such as fluid in his ears). He also has OCD. The issue I have been trying to deal with is that he sleeps in a hat that covers his ears because he is afraid that a fly is going to go inside hiss ear. Often when he gets an infection he will tell that doctor that he has a ffly in his ear and the doctor said that he might be hearing a buzzing like sound and have strange feelings inside his ear due to the fluid. I have tried to tell him many times that he has never had a bug in his ear and that a fly is not going to get in his ear. I was wanting to know if any of you have certain things that your children have to do in order to go to bed. I am worried that by allowing him to sleep in the hat I am feeding into his fear, but I also don't want him to be in bed and afraid if a hat can make him feel safe. What should I do? As silly as it may sound this has been troubleing me for some time. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Shoshana]

Children with OCD suffer from many fears and anxieties -- to us, the fears may seem ridiculous, but not to the child. In the scheme of things, letting him sleep with a hat on is such a small thing -- there will very likely be other issues on which it will not be so easy to accede. I'd let him wear the hat, it won't hurt, and if something that small makes him feel more secure, it will be well worth it.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Thanks for the reply. I am always so worried that I'll make his fears worse by letting him do OC things. We have to hide his tooth brush because his dentist said he brushes to much so I guess a hat is really not a big deal. Thanks again for your input.

 

[disneycruising]

My DD has apserger's with OCD tendancies. When she was 9 she went through a hand washing stage. It was so bad that her hands were cracked and bleeding. It drove me crazy! Since, I don't have OCD I can't even being to understand how she feels.
I do a lot of talking about what if... and I keep asking until she has work through all the what if's. After some time she can see that the worst thing that could happen is truely not a big deal. But she needs to be walked through it. Her mind get stuck at one point and she can get passed it.
She does take medication to controll the OCD. She started when she was 13.

 

[bookwormde]

Stop worrying, he has found an "accomidation" that makes him feel better.

This specific item will likely resolve itself as he gets older.

It is much more important to look for the root causes of the OCD manefestation.

bookwormde

 

[brighteyes]

Hi,

Although my DS or I have Aspergers we do both have some slight OCD tendencies. For my son, it is routine. He cannot stand going anywhere after school but home. Things cannot change in his room. So I let him have those small things. I also cannot say anything in the morning when I take him to school other than have a good day, or I love you. Any variation causes him to have a really bad day.

Myself, when I am under a lot of pressure, I am a checker, and will sometimes drive back home to make sure everything is unplugged. I also recheck the door locks 500 times when I know I just did it. It is irritating but if I don't do it, I cannot sleep.

My advice, pick your battles. If wearing a hat makes him feel secure, then go for it. I understand your fear about feeding into it, but the stress it will cause if he doesn't do it, is not worth it, IMHO.

Like a pp said, there is also meds that can help with this. Good luck and let him wear the hat.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Thanks for all of the support and it is a Disney world hat.

 

[KPeveler]

dont tell your child this, but i had a fly in my ear once!

I have sensory problems, and I have to fix my blankets a hundred times on the bed before i can relax to sleep. if there is even one wrinkle under me, i have to fix it, even if it means stripping off sheets and remaking it...

Unless the hat is causing problems, i say let him do what he needs... I know that when i find a coping method, i try not to change it, even it seems weird...

 

[jmartinez1895]

I might sleep in a hat now too. I saw on a medical show on TV about a lady who had a June bug in her ear so every time he says he has a fly in his ear I check just to be sure.

 

[KPeveler]

i was a kid playing outside, so I am not surprised that i had a fly in my ear. it didnt hurt me or need anyone to pull it out...

Its always worth looking, since even if there is not a fly,there could be a toy or something else irritating....