I am sure I have started a dozen threads about my DS's (nearly 5) behavior. Here is the latest thing I have no idea what to do about.

He was constantly washing his hands every time someone touched him, then got too lazy to do that so he started licking them (gross!), now if you touch any skin on him he will disappear out of the room and lick his hands and 'wash' wherever he was touched. He also pulls his sleeves down so he doesn't have to touch things and refuses to touch anything that might feel yuck. This has been going on for a few weeks now and I noticed tonight that his hands are red where he has been constantly licking. Why the f*** is he so bloody odd! It isn't normal behavior! He is so frigging hard to parent. He is just the nicest kid sometimes, a really neat boy and then other times.....

It is like he is compelled to do it - if I try to stop him licking he gets very upset and as soon as possible he will do it anyway. He isn't ASD or SPD (recently assessed). It is coinciding with a build up of tantrums again - possibly rising anxiety about starting school in September? He also refuses to wear clothes he says he isn't used to, so will only wear the same two pairs of pants and a few tops. I have been forcing the issue on that one lately and making him wear some things he doesn't want to - do you think the stress of that could be causing the licking thing?

Arrrggghhhh!!!! I don't get enough sleep to deal with this!

What can I do to stop the licking? I have tried telling him that it spreads germs, that it won't clean anything. Even washing his hands in the sink would be preferable to licking!