Etta's SIB

My sweet girl was home for over a year before she started any bad behaviors. I blame it on a fall where she hit her head.

But several months ago, Etta started hitting her head....HARD...with her left fist and injuring herself.

At first, we could redirect her using her favorite rattle. As long as she held the rattle, she didn't hit.

But after a while, she was hitting more often than not so her OT gave us a PediWrap which has a metal bar in it to restrain her from being able to bend her arm at her elbow so she cannot reach her head. At first, she only wore it some of the time but then her hitting increased so she began to wear it most the time. 

That worked for quite a while but now she either takes it off or hits even with it on because it's worn out and she can bend it now...so in an attempt to prevent the SIB (self injurous behavior), I broke down and bought a helmet. It's a bike helmet I got on clearance at Play It Again sports for only $1.60. It worked for about 4 hours the first day. I don't want her to wear it all the time but I also don't want her to wear the wrap all the time and lose muscle in her left arm (from not using it) and, of course, I don't want her punching herself repeatedly in the head and ear.

We have taken her to an ENT and she will be getting new tubes. I give her Ginkgo and started taking her to a Chiropractor, my dear friend, Laura Lewis and her husband  Dr. Sam at Lewis family Chiropractor in Ohio. It absolutely breaks my heart to think of how she never hurt herself before. I hate seeing her restrained at all. I hate covering her beautiful hair. I am open to try anything before resorting to medication. I hope getting new tubes (and possibly hearing aides) and seeing a chiropractor regularly will help.