Help, my son keeps tearing up his pull-ups! - Autism Spectrum Message Board

CameronsMom · 01-11-2007, 10:56 PM

Hello all!
Thank you to everyone who welcomed me to the boards. I just joined a couple of weeks ago. I am wondering if anyone has experienced this, and/or has a solution for stopping my son from ripping his pull-ups to pieces. He is 10 yrs old and wears goodnites. He will rip the inner parts of the pull-up out and throw them all over the floor. It doesn't matter if it is wet or dry, and what is even more disgusting; is that he will chew on pieces of it! He is autistic, blind, and mentally retarded; so I know he doesn't know that what he is doing is gross but of course I would like to get him to stop. It isn't so bad for me to clean it up, but he does it at school and when my mom watches him when I work and I don't want other people to have to clean it up. I have tried putting a belt on all of his pants and tucking his shirts in, to try to prevent him from being able to get to the pull-up; but he always finds a way. I have recently purchased a union suit(one piece long underwear) on **** and am awaiting its arrival to try that, but if anyone has any other ideas; I am open to suggestions. He does it so quick, that he can have it ripped apart if you turn your back for a minute! Thanks in advance to anyone who has any tips!

elmhar · 01-12-2007, 10:54 AM

Hi CM,

I would first check his skin for any sign of irritation. Your DS may be trying to communicate to you that he is in discomfort.

The union suit may slow him down some.

Any chance at all of toilet training? I realize he is challenged on a number of fronts, however, some success in the TT dept. may be helpful.

Even if toilet training is deemed an unreasonable goal, could you get a consult with a behavioral training specialist and devise a program to "train out" this problematic habit? I have seen skilled behavioralists work many such small wonders.

If this is a relatively new behavior, is there some chance that he has increased sensation down there due to a testosterone surge? Pubertal hormone changes often begin before one can see a lot of visible changes.

I would recommend a consult with a developmental ped/autism specialist/DAN doc if all the home remedies fail.

Best wishes.

ruby41 · 01-12-2007, 07:43 PM

As you say your son is in pull ups and not nappies suggests you have started toilet training what stage is this at? When my son was younger he would slip his hands down his trousers and feel himself. I bought dungarees or suspenders as they are called in America because of the heavy material it is harder for children to put their hands down. Fortunately my son's habit stopped shortly after I put these on.

sharealways · 01-13-2007, 08:15 AM

My son has just got into TT and he also on a couple of occasions just tears the pull up. I guess he gets frustrated when he is not able to get it on all by himself. He always tries to be independent trying to do things himself and when he cannot he gets frustrated.. but it is different for your son..

cjjimenez · 01-13-2007, 08:01 PM

Hi, I worked in a childrens rehab center. We had a little girl that would do the same with pulling her diapers off and she would also chew on the diaper pieces to. Theybought a one piece suit kind off like a leotard body suit and would put it on under her pjs.