It sounds like a stim to me, maybe giving him a combination of oral and tactile stimulation. That combination might make it harder to break, since a solution like chew tubes would only fulfill the oral component of the stim. What other sensory issues have you noticed? (Have you done the SPD checklist?)
Here are two similar questions:
http://www.autism-pdd.net/testdump/test11182.htm (our forum)
http://www.ldonline.org/xarbb/topic/13412 (another forum)
Bitter-tasting products that work to prevent nailbiting would maybe work. If he bites his knuckles then the nail-polish type wouldn't be effective.
My 5 year old presumably NT son has started to bite his nails. I hate it! I've been wondering what to do about it. He hates the taste of mint, so I've been planning on putting some mint mouthwash (very concentrated formula) on his fingers. There... I just did it. I'll let you know if it helps with the nailbiting today.
There are some special products to prevent it, but I don't have any experience with them and probably can't even get them in Norway:
http://www.stopbitingnails.com/?gclid=CPny1feVv4sCFRJjXgodxG gEzA - all natural, says it's also good for thumb-sucking
http://www.amazon.com/Orly-ORLY-NO-BITE-6oz/dp/B000EGIEV2 - Looks like it applies like nail-polish.
P.S. I totally agree with you about how thick-skinned we parents are compared to single people. One time my 1 year olOne of my single friends asked me to wipe my son's face while he was eating ice cream. My friend was totally disgusted. I was more like, why bother until he's done eating. And I've caught myself saying odd things like "Grandpa doesn't want you to visit with meat on your socks!" (trying to get my son to stop throwing his food on the floor).My son does the same thing, with the biting of fingernails and toenails. My Doc. suggested gum. It did not work, so we got him chew tubes. He will use them if I tell him to get one. He chewed the handle off of my sweeper, and we also found him chewing on the dog's chewy toy YUCK. Good Luck My son chews his fingers, too..not his toes, yet
My son will be 5 in June and has picked up this nasty habit of biting his fingers and toes until they bleed. Not his nails, his actual skin around the nails on both the toes and the fingers. Although he does chew the nails too. He is always bleeding and has two or three bandaids on his toes or fingers at any given time. He went through a period of biting his lips until they bled, but Thank God that has stopped. Is this stimming? I am constantly telling him to get your toes out of your mouth!
A little off the subject, but me just talking about the things I am contsantly telling my son reminded me that once I read an article in Readers Digest about a single person who had gone to dinner with a married couple that had children. They had dinner at the family's home and the entire article was about the atrocities that were yelled out while trying to enjoy dinner. This single person witth no kids was so appauled that they actually lost their appetite and left early. Then turn the clock up a few years, and this single person is now married and has two small children of their own and has just sat down to dinner with their single family friend. Suddenly, this person realizes the things that are coming out of their mouth while their friend is trying to have a pleasant dinner. Things like, "Good boy! You poopied in the toilet! and "Honey! Where's the snot rag! Oh look how cute! Jenny just stuck a noodle up her nose!
My personal favorites that I would like to tape record at times are things like, "Get your face out of the dogs bowl!" "No computer unless I see poopie in the toilet!" Stop licking the floor! Put your wee wee back in your pants please! "You don't flush car keys down the toilet! (I am so glad he finally got out of that phase, he almost ruined our plumbing)
Anyway! It's really funny the things that we have to say through out the day. I bet a single person at my house would never come back! lol!
Anyway! Back to subject. Is this finger and toe biting stimming? Does anyone know?
My daughter does this too both fingers and toes so does my son (big time with him). I have to admit I also do it too. I will pick and chew at the side of my nails until they bleed or pick my toe nails so short that they bleed.Eric chews on his shirt if he doesn't use his "chewie" when he is stimming. He doesn't bite his body- but I thought I would chime in.
And the rest of your post is funny! I am so glad I read this one. Thanks for sharing!
MommaNiki