Self-injurious behavior in children with special health care needs: a report of three cases

Abstract

Self-Injurious behaviours are repetitive acts that result in physical damage to the individual. They are associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and some syndromes. In the maxillofacial region these behaviours include variable degrees of lip sucking and biting, tongue biting, cheek and digit biting and bruxism. This paper presents three cases of self-injurious behaviours with lip biting, bruxism and tongue avulsion. Important clinical findings included bleeding, ulcers, tissue tenderness, mutilation and loss. Though some researchers have tried to establish a standard management protocol, management of these behaviours require an individualization of cases using simple devices and procedures as the health conditions of the patients and their characteristic oral lesions differ.