RE: the 18 month old who was picking at mom's moles as she dropped off to
sleep
Has mom tried covering the moles (bandage strips etc..) ? How about having
then removed? Is there a safe substitute-- buttons sewn on cloth might be
worth a try (round tops about the size of the moles)
Toddlers seem to develop rituals that help them fall off to sleep. As this
mom knows, if the behavior is interrupted the baby won't go to sleep.
I have two girls that sucked their thumbs and picked at their belly-buttons
to the point of drawing blood. (both BF long term) My husband's mother thinks
its cute because he did the same thing when he was little. My husband
remembers his pediatrician telling him (about age 5) that if he picked too
hard his bottom would fall off. :-)
My son, on the other hand, picked at his ear. So I never *knew* when he had
an ear infection. He developed scarlet fever before we even knew he was sick.
(This is the same kid that wanted to keep playing with a broken arm.)
I had one mom who couldn't get her child to sleep unless he was pulling her
hair. Not only was her hair thinning but the toddler would end up with hair
wrapped around his fingers. We were able to fake him out with a wig.