There was an issue a few years ago with the printed on "tags" causing rashes in kids. Try just wearing shirts with real tags.
http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09023.html

Draft has chemicals and fragrances and dyes. Switch to a "free" version of any main brands.

I would get it checked out. My DD has a mild brain malformation at the back of her head and one of the side effects is that it causes very mild headaches in that area. She stratches the area off and on.

OP here. Thanks for all the ideas, everyone. This is really helpful. Glad to hear it's not a typical self-soothing thing.

10:13 - I'm still using Dreft for his laundry (which is all I've ever used). Since I've been using the same thing all along and he only started the scratching thing a few months ago, I figured it couldn't be the detergent, but I hadn't thought of the fact that he probably couldn't reach that spot until a few months ago. So I guess it could be that. Regarding the heat, now that you mention it, it probably did begin around the time we started using the heat, and our house is definitely a tad dry. So I will try a humidifier in his room as well as some Aquafor. Thank you!

10:01 - so interesting that you've had the exact same problem and in the same place! He also breaks the skin and each time it seems like it's starting to heal, he scratches more intently and it gets bad again. It's a very small localized spot basically where the tag in the back of a shirt would be (I was previously thinking it wasn't the tag since I checked his shirts and realized that very few of them actually have tags, but maybe it is that - I should try to have him only wear shirts without tags for a while). Good luck with the dermatologist!

Lice. You can't always see the eggs. I'd get it checked if you can't tell.

tags or laundry detergent.

Anonymous wrote:Maybe it's just dry skin.

I would see an allergist to rule out an allergy. Have you changed your laundry detergent recently?

It's been going on for a few months. Chances are if he's having a problem with the detergent, that it is long-term and that a few months ago was the first time he could actually reach that spot on his back to stop the irritation.

OP--what type of laundry detergent do you use? I would recommend getting one of the "free" detergents that are hypo-allergenic, fragrance and dye-free. Even if you only use it on your child's laundry it may help. Also, put Aquafor on the spot both morning and night and see if it reduces the irritation. Last, did this start to happen when your heat kicked on? If so, then your furnace may be drying the air out a lot in your child's room (is it warm there? Is his room closest to where the hot air comes up from the lower floors?). Try getting a room humidifier for your child's room.

*eczema

We are having the same issue, same location too, with our five year old. She breaks the skin even and can't seem to break the itch/scratch cycle. Ped says excema but forgot to send the script for the steroid cream. We're going to the derm this week. She is slightly obsessed with picking and scratching. So far the OTC stuff hasn't worked. Very frustrating! Hope he's better soon!

Yeah I'd look for an external irritant first. Tags, detergent, scratchy clothes and/or eczema. Call your docofcourse, but this isn't a typical self soothing thing.

Maybe it's just dry skin.

I would see an allergist to rule out an allergy. Have you changed your laundry detergent recently?

Is it the tag on his shirts bothering him?

See a dermatologist. Why would you think this is psychiatric?

Head lice?

Anyone experienced anything like this? A few months ago we noticed that our son had some small scratches on the back of his neck (well, really his upper back just below his neck). We thought it was weird but figured he must have had a bug bite or something. Anyway, we eventually started noticing that the scratches kept coming back, and at times got worse. And then we started noticing him scratching the area himself (he can barely reach) when he was either going to sleep or waking up. I'm starting to wonder if it's some sort of obsessive compulsive thing? He's 21 months. I will probably call his pediatrician but not expecting they'll be too helpful...

Anyone experienced anything like this???

TIA!