Q: I am keeping a 2 year old girl in my home. I am her foster parent. She has a habit of putting fuzzy things up her nose. She pulls the hair on dogs and cats, her sweater and anything she finds like stuff off the floor. Her mother is a drug user and I wonder if maybe she saw her putting drugs up her nose. This has become a habit for her. She even does it in her sleep, pulling the fibres off her diapers. When she wakes up in the morning there are fuzzies hanging out her nose. I catch her pulling the fuzzies out of her nose and eating them too. She has asthma and is congested all the time. Could this be contributing to her problem? Should I be worried? I would appreciate any help in this matter.

A:Your child's asthma could certainly be related to the animal hair she puts into her nose. In any case, the behaviour is not commonly seen. I think that you should consult a Child Psychiatrist and find out how to change her behaviour. The child could be imitating her mother and possibly she may also have been given some of the drugs. I feel that kind advice and distant consultation, as in this mail, may not be adequate to deal with the situation. Please seek help from a local professional, who can see the child and give you suitable suggestions.