4 year old is obsessed with cords

[myboyscrazymom]

My 4 year old son has always been interested in cords. It started very early (1 1/2 yrs)  and it was cute - he'd play with an extra computer mouse, drag it around like it was a pet. Then started "plugging" things in to the couch cushions. We thought it was very creative of him and nurtured his interest in how things worked. Somewhere along the line it got out of hand. My husband and I seem to be in eternal renovation, so extension cords were always around. He'd ask to play with them and we'd let him take a couple and attach them together. He'd concentrate and imagine that he was doing something very important. Because we were extra worried we always reinforced that outlets and anything already plugged in were off limits. Although we've always kept an eye on him. We've struggled with this issue because he enjoys playing with a few cords so much that he would keep himself busy and use his imagination. We always new it was weird and not considered a good idea. But anyone who saw him do the stuff he did with a few cord would always comment on how amazing he was about putting them together and being so imaginative. We've taken them way on a few occasions, but they've always crept back. I know this seems hard to imagine - but he would have a box of extension cords, small fans or radios with cords, outlet strips and he would connect them in a thousand different ways and string them all over the living room and never go near a real outlet or put anything around his neck. Recently it's gotten out of hand. My mother bought him 6 cords that he was allowed to have, but he wasn't allowed to ask for any more. Well that didn't work - he weaseled quite a few more out of his grandfather (who are torn as well - is this cute or horrible?) I thought it was a good idea at first and did it at home too. The problem is he works you for more and more and more. What he has is never good enough. He turns into this other person - overly obsessed. He started to not want to go to preschool b/c he wanted to play cords. He was having nightmares about being sucked into a fan and pulled through the electric lines. He had the biggest tantrum on the front lawn when we made him come in from re-arranging our christmas decoration (all with cords). We put them away after that. Cold turkey (except my parents haven't done the same thing) and he's managing - but he brings them up all the time and substitutes other things for them - like ropes and hoses. He talks to other kids about them and they think he's crazy, so he's not relating well to kids his age. He brings cords up in conversation - says stuff like "wouldn't this be cool if it was plugged in?". He finds them everywhere (grocery store, musuem, malls...) and tries to figure out how they are plugged in. It's gotten crazy. and I just wish he were like other little boys. He whines all the time, is super emotional, very picky eater, very attached to me, and my sitter says he's anxious, a friend says he parallel plays at preschool.
I've scheduled an appt. with a child psychologist - but it's not till the end of July. I just don't know what to do till then. I"ve been trying to get him interested in other things, but cords always come up. I'm at the point where I want him to be normal so badly I get aggravated when he doesn't want to do normal kid stuff. I've looked up OCD, ADHD, Aspergers, Anxiety, Depression (which I have and runs in the family). Nothing seems to fit. Any thoughts? If this were a train obsession, it would be acceptable, but it's not and I want to do right by him. Please help...

[RockRose]

What is your problem?  Your son is a budding genious engineer,  and you're all about limiting and punishing.

What's going on here?   My husband knew from the age of four that he wanted to be an electrical engineer,  the architectural engineer  that designed our house was running hoses with water all over his backyard,  and hooking them up to hills and up trees - at the age of five - and our house is built on a cliff and his expertise was needed.

For crying out loud,  give him his cords.  In my book,  he IS like other boys - other boys who are called from preschool to be brilliant (and very successful, by the way) engineers.

Give that boy his cords and stop whining!

[myboyscrazymom]

Did he really? I've been searching and searching for any information about this but found none. I've always felt like he's either a genius or crazy. But it's really very reassuring to hear someone else's experience.

thank you for your comment.

[Amy521]

I was fixated on spatulas when I was little, apparently.  I started calling them this weird pet name I made up and from ages 2 to 4 played with them like dolls.  I'm in culinary school now...haha.  I was always kind of a strange kid and a little weird, but I feel like if my parents tried to suppress that I'd be all boring and have no personality.  Now I'm pretty eclectic, smart, and creative.  I turned out fine.  Don't freak him out by taking him to a shrink, that'll make him feel like you think he's a freak.

[myboyscrazymom]

I guess my biggest fear is that he's obsessed to a degree that is unhealthy. He literally turns into a different child when he gets his hands on cords. it's starts innocently but then he can't get enough, nothing is good enough, he won't do anything else. I'm worried that it's effecting his ability to socialize with kids his age.
I don't want to kill his creativity, or imaginative thinking which is why my husband and I have really struggled with this - we are both artists (I'm in design and he's a craft artist), so to shut that down would truly be a sin. But I want him to be able to socialize too.

[Agiesmom]

I'm wondering...why have you ruled out the possibility of Asperger's Syndrome?

[ames67]

Well there seems to be extremes on either end of the discussion. I think it is a good idea to take him to see someone. I am in the mental health field and I thought Asperger's as well, especially if he is having difficulty relating to other kids (Asperger Syndrome by Tony Atwood is a great little book on the disorder). But without a thorough evaluation its hard to say. In the meantime, try scheduling the time he is allowed to play with cords, same time each day, or maybe just on the weekends and have it also be a reward for good behavior. Work it to your advantage while still allowing him to be creative, but you need to get the grandparents on board as well. Hope this helps.