Teen refuses to blow nose

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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Our Challenging Children (gifted, ADHD, sensitive, defiant)

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amother

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 3:52 pm

Regular kid. Very smart. Does all he's supposed to. Very talented.
BUT, refuses to blow his nose. I'm going to lose my mind. Every time I take the time and say I'm going to calmly sit here and can you please blow he crosses his hands over his chest and says no.
he has explained that snot is gross, and he cannot handle the feeling of it going out.
The only other area where I'd say he's sensory is with veggies/fruits. Otherwise everything is okay.

Seriously please help me, my teen cannot or won't blow his nose. He sniffs it back in, which is gross, but also causing marital conflict cause he's been this way for years and my husband tried to force him when he was young, and I said no (because forcing isn't the way to go), and I promised to take care of it. Now he's livid, because we're in an insane situation where an almost adult won't blow his nose

WWYD?

amother

Magnolia

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 3:55 pm

Have you explained to him that when he sniffs it back in, he ends up eating it? As gross is snot is, its way grosser to eat the snot! Puke

amother

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 3:57 pm

Maybe I wasn't clear I'm sorry
The sensation as it comes out is something he's saying he can't handle.
But he also will say same if you ask him to eat a tomato

amother

Blueberry

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 4:00 pm

I had a friend who wouldn’t do it as an adult either. She would just stick tissues up her nose until it was clean. Maybe tell him to find other ways to clear out his nose. Would he be ok with a saline spray cleaning it out?

amother

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 4:06 pm

So In the past he’d do what you said sometimes. He’d use a box of Kleenex to essentially pick his nose with tissues. Now he won’t even. He has a bunch of sprays but he won’t use it cause then omg the sensation is probably like that plus snot and he can’t. This isn’t funny but I’m lost. He’s normal. I promise.

amother

Blueberry

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 4:07 pm

Convince him the swallowing is more gross. He tastes it and it goes through his whole body. Not much to really do but keep convincing him.

amother

Ivory

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 4:11 pm

Sounds like you're just going to have to let this one go because he's a teen and you've done all you can. This will have to come from him when he's ready. At some point, social pressure will make him deal with his nose issues.

bnm

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 4:36 pm

Get him one of those nose sucking vacum things used for babies. Dr. Nozebot is good but pricey, they just came out with a portable version. OT would be useful too.

amother

Lightyellow

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:17 pm

My teen son has the same issue. Instead he blows his nose directly into the sink, using his finger to pinch each nostril one at a time. Then he washes it down the drain. I have tried to get him to blow his nose for years and I just gave up

hodeez

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:27 pm

Use the nose sucking device

amother

Slateblue

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:37 pm

Would he use a netipot?

Cheiny

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:38 pm

amother OP wrote:

Is this supposed ti be serious? You shouldn’t be telling a teen when to blow his nose!

Cheiny

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:39 pm

amother Lightyellow wrote:

TMI.

Anonymiss 1

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:43 pm

Have you tried OT for his sensory issues?

amother

Indigo

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:44 pm

Anonymiss 1 wrote:

Have you tried OT for his sensory issues?

How is an ot gonna help him blow his nose?

Anonymiss 1

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:47 pm

amother Indigo wrote:

How is an ot gonna help him blow his nose?

OP clearly said it’s a sensory issue.

amother

Pearl

Mon, Jun 03 2024, 7:48 pm

Cheiny wrote:

TMI.

If that's how you feel, stay out of this thread!

amother

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 9:43 am

Cheiny wrote:

Is this supposed ti be serious? You shouldn’t be telling a teen when to blow his nose!

Correct, no need to add salt to the wound. I'm in a ridiculous predicament, for which I was seeking solutions. Your post is not helpful. Put yourself in my shoes if your kid refused to do something basic that everyone does, but refuses to. And it doesn't make you a better parent that your kid doesn't have sensory issues related to this.

amother

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 9:49 am

Thank you all for your helpful replies, I agree the best way to go is for help with sensory issues. I'm assuming doing something enough will be a sort of 'exposure therapy' and make it easier with time.
And the type of person that does sensory work is an OT?

amother

Poinsettia

Tue, Jun 04 2024, 9:52 am

My 13 year has major sensory issues surrounding his nose. He doesn't like anything going near his nose (the 2 times we were forced to covid test him were a NIGHTMARE and he started lying about illness after that, another saga. And forget flu tests too). So he also doesn't like blowing his nose. He is willing to dab it lightly with a tissue when he must, which helps. Would your son agree to that? My son in general is pretty motivated when it comes to hygiene because he wants a good shidduch 😂

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