How to Deter a Child From Biting His Nails

Most kids eventually grow out of biting their nails.

In some rare cases nail biting can be a sign of extreme anxiety but for the most part nail biting is usually just a nervous habit. Hair twisting, tooth grinding and nose picking are other examples of nervous habits. Boredom and stress are two common reasons why your child could be biting his nails. To deter him from doing this you can employ several techniques, but talking about the

root of the boredom or stress is the most effective way to deal with this issue.

Instructions

1. Notice the nature of the nail biting. Pay attention to where the child is when he starts doing it, who is around him, any subjects under discussion and if there is a specific time of day when it takes place.Through these observations you might be able to figure out what triggers the nail biting.

2. Find out if something is bothering your child. Perhaps your child is anxious about a recent school move or a divorce. If you have an idea of what may be bothering ho or if you are able to get him to tell you, try to get him to talk to you about it. Allay any fears your child might have as much as possible.

3. Stop nagging the child to stop. Nail biting is often simply an unconscious habit. Nagging rarely changes a child's behavior. Instead, if the habit really is distasteful to you, explain to your child that you really don't like to see him biting his nails and you will leave the room when he does it. However, keep in mind that measures like this and painting nasty tasting substances onto the nails will seem like punishment which could ultimately add to any stress the child already feels.

4. Support your child if he tells you he wants to stop. Perhaps your child is being teased at school about biting his nails and he decides he wants to stop of his own volition. Begin by talking about the teasing and ask him to tell you how he feels about any other anxieties too. Tell him you love him and then move on to discuss solutions to the problematic teasing and the source of any anxieties. This should be an effective way of stopping the nail biting over time.

Tips & Warnings

• Nail biting won't really harm the child and he may grow out of it. So in the meantime, make sure he keeps his nails short and clean to minimise the ragged appearance of the nails.

• If your child is biting more than the tips of his nails and is tearing the nails off and causing bleeding, you need to take him to see a doctor. He may be destroying the cuticles that protect the nail. If bitten the cuticles could lead to your child's nails being deformed.

References

• "Baby Center"; Nail biting: Why it happens and what to do about it
• http://www.babycenter.com/0_nail-biting-why-it-happens-and-what-to-do-about-it_65507.bc
• "Mother Nature"; Nail Biting