Does your child bite his nails and you don’t know what to do or how to wean him from this habit? Don't be discouraged, nail biting is a common habit in many young children, it is something that children do unconsciously when they are bored or anxious and which goes away as they grow older.
But there are children for whom it does not go away as they grow older and may even get worse. At the slightest anxiety, stress, or uncertainty, the child begins to bite his nails more intensely, which can become a bad habit for life and cause health problems. this habit even has a medical term - onychophagia.
Onycophagia is a condition that affects one third of all children. preschool age, and almost half of schoolchildren. Some parents are still convinced that this is a cost of age, and the bad habit will go away on its own as they grow older, but this is a dangerous misconception. Real problems lead to persistent addictions. In order to get rid of it, the child needs psychological help, and sometimes not parental help, but the help of a professional specialist.
From a scientific point of view, onycophagia, like dermatophagy (biting the skin around the nails), is an attempt to realize unsatisfied desires by obtaining short-term satisfaction. If you ask a neurologist, he will answer even more specifically - the physical manifestation of stress and neuroses. Dr. Komarovsky believes that a bad habit is formed as a frequent and repeated sequence of actions, and over time becomes reflexive (not controlled by the brain).
The system of prohibitions and repressive measures does not lead to any tangible result until the root cause is eliminated. The child does not need to coat his nails with burning substances (because this will not stop him), but rather attention, affection and the elimination of factors that provoke emotional and mental disorders.
Why does a child bite his nails? reasons
From the point of view of pediatricians, a bad habit has a completely logical explanation in every period of childhood:
At 2-3 years - this is the result of weaning from the pacifier;
From 3-4 years old - a bad example of parents or peers.
What he sees provokes a desire to repeat, characteristic of a child, and over time it is consolidated and carried out at the subconscious level, in much the same way as someone chews a pen or twists strands of hair, picks their nose until it bleeds, or pulls threads from clothes. Dermatophagy, according to the same theory, manifests itself due to the absence of a piece on the nail plate that could still be bitten off.
Psychologists look at the habit of biting nails as a general phenomenon of deformation of the psychological state, which can occur due to many reasons that seem insignificant or irrelevant to parents. But any bad habit that starts on a subconscious level is a consequence of external factors that lead to internal discomfort or even depression:
- Feelings of guilt cultivated by adults (parents, teachers, educators and even strangers). Lack of praise for a good deed or work done, comparison with other children, and not in favor of one’s own child, constant reminders of past offenses and nagging at personal qualities and habits. It can also be provoked by ridicule, which is characteristic of some wits who take their mockery of the baby as a sign of sympathy and banter. Sometimes children blame themselves for the quarrels and scandals that occur between their parents, even if they have nothing to do with them.
- Personal deformations due to some inability (to tie shoelaces, learn the multiplication table, fasten a zipper on clothes). They develop due to constant reminders of this, attempts to teach an action that constitutes an insurmountable barrier. Children with special needs are often exposed to such negativity. However, they do not always have developmental disabilities, and the lack of a generally accepted skill is compensated by some other abilities. Such children are characterized by increased emotionality and painful perception of pressure from the outside.
- A bad example from a peer or adult is sometimes reinforced as a manifestation of aggression and protest. Such conditions are often characteristic of a child who has no other opportunity to express them due to constant supervision. Biting his nails and skin despite the strictest prohibition, he initially protests in a similar way, and then it turns into a reflex action.
- Sometimes nail biting replaces another bad habit that the child is persistently weaned off (thumb sucking, pen biting, nose picking).
- Emotional component. The little person is bored, overtired and nervous due to lack of sleep or illness, and does not want to go to school or kindergarten. One of the most common emotions that leads to a bad habit is irresistible pleasure. It occurs in children with a certain type of psyche whenever they do something that is strictly prohibited.
Before starting repressive measures and introducing a system of punishments, parents should find out what exactly permanently provokes a violation of the ban or the occurrence of a negative phenomenon. Sometimes eliminating such reasons works tens of times more effectively than beatings, deprivation of pleasure, or confidential conversations with a psychologist.
Whatever the reason for this habit, one thing is for sure - you need to get rid of it as quickly as possible. The habit of biting and biting nails leads not only to the unpleasant appearance of hands, which is not yet so relevant for a small child, but also to more serious health problems.
A particular problem can be biting the nails until the skin around the cuticle bleeds, which can lead to infection and deformation of the nails.
Constantly biting your nails damages your teeth and gums. In addition, such a habit can create an incorrect bite, which in the future can result in gum disease, headaches and even sleep disturbances.
If you do not get rid of the habit of biting your nails in childhood, in adulthood this may add feelings of guilt and shame, add nervousness and anxiety, since such habits are not encouraged in society.
A child bites his nails, what to do?
Traditional methods of eradication are usually simple, but not always effective. For the most part, parents limit themselves to smearing the problem area with substances with an unpleasant taste. This could be plant juice, a caustic seasoning, a specially selected ointment or varnish.
A smart child washes his hands or wipes them on his clothes and gets to work favorite hobby with redoubled zeal. If anointing is accompanied by constant supervision, one addiction is replaced by another, which can be no less negative. Or the habit continues, but secluded places are found for it (toilet, bed, walk).
The advice to give girls a beautiful manicure rarely works, because the power of addiction makes you forget about the beauty of your nails. So any measures that limit access to the desired object rarely give any positive result.
Preventive conversations about microbes nesting under the nails, their number and harmfulness, lead to a worsening of the nervous condition. The baby cannot bring himself to give up the reflex action, but performs it in a state of even greater nervousness, because he is now thinking about upcoming dangers or illnesses.
If a psychologist is unavailable for some reason (there is no financial opportunity, there is no faith that he will help, or there is a fear of emotionally traumatizing the child by communicating with stranger in a white coat), you need to at least listen to his advice.
Weaning off a bad habit is a consistent and labor-intensive process that will require a lot of patience and time. Parents should start with themselves - create a friendly and positive environment in the house, stop scandals and quarrels (at least in his presence), exclude from communication ridicule, punishment, shouting and pulling back with or without reason.
In return, you need to normalize the daily routine, set aside time for daytime rest and make sure that the child gets enough sleep and is not overtired.
It is necessary to constantly devote time to the child, ask about his problems and the day spent in the child care facility, and help with homework if he has difficulty coping with some subject.
If the reason for the habit is boredom or aggression, this will be a real measure to eliminate it. The system of punishments for offenses in the form of disfigured nails and bleeding cuticles should be replaced with rewards for the time of abstinence and emotional support in case of an unfortunate breakdown. 
This is a much more difficult path than a slap, a slap on the head, or mustard on the fingers, but it gives much more fruitful results.
If this is not addressed in time, the situation will become even more difficult during puberty, when emotional balance is achieved with great difficulty. Only in a teenager can a reflex action lead to the development of persistent neurosis associated with a feeling of embarrassment and shame for the unaesthetic and frightening appearance of nails and fingers.
In some cases, you cannot do without a psychologist. If, in parallel with a bad habit, there is bad dream and nightmares, a state of increased aggressiveness and irritability, abnormal excitability, anxiety, all this should not be attributed to age-related problems or character traits. You definitely can’t do without the help of a specialist, and the sooner it is provided, the less likely it will be. irreversible consequences in adulthood.
How to stop a child from biting his nails
Fortunately, for most children, nail biting is just a habit that they do unconsciously when they are bored and have nothing to do. Most children don't even notice how they bite their nails. As with any habit, it takes a little effort and persistence to break it for good.
With younger children, it is more difficult to get them to stop biting their nails because they do not care about their appearance. Older children and teenagers become a little more aware of this issue, so they are more likely to stop biting their nails.
If your child is still small and his habit does not go beyond causing harm to his health, then here you can simply monitor the condition of his nails more carefully and trim them on time. After all, in most cases the child gnaws them off when they grow a little. This applies to both fingernails and toenails. Having matured, he himself will cut them on time, and the problem will go away.
After a child reaches a certain age, it will be much easier to explain to him why his habit is dangerous. If the child himself wants to get rid of it, he will need help in this.
Here are some tips you can try with your children to help them stop their nail biting habit as quickly as possible.
Anti-nail biting remedy
There are many treatments available to help children stop biting their nails. There is no need, as mentioned above, to smear your nails with brilliant green, mustard and other means. Now you can buy it at the pharmacy (or order it online) special remedy(in a bottle of nail polish) against nail biting, for example, from the Swiss company Mavala. It costs about 400 rubles. According to the manufacturer himself, one bottle is enough for the full course (in 33 days they promise to completely get rid of the bad habit).
The product contains a bitter substance that is harmless to the child's body. It is applied to nails or fingertips. Every time a child puts a finger in his mouth, the bitterness reminds him that he needs to break his habit. It needs to be applied several times during the day, as it washes off when washing your hands.
These treatments are very easy to use and are especially effective if your child wants to stop on their own. If there is no such desire, then you may have to consider some other ideas.
Aloe vera
This is indoor medicinal plant Many people have it. Aloe juice is very bitter. You can smear your fingers with juice. Aloe works about the same as nail polish. The only negative is that it washes off faster.
Get a manicure
No matter how short your nails are, try to keep them well-groomed and neat. Applying nail polish can work wonders. Yes, boys can look cool with nail polish. However, it cannot be left without control. Some children bite their nails even with a beautiful salon manicure.
And yet there is a plus in this. Do your child's manicure yourself. This time spent together, casual conversation, can bear fruit.
Touch bracelet
Older children may wear a sensory bracelet that fits around their wrist. Every time he puts his finger to his mouth, the bracelet will remind him of his bad habit. The idea behind this bracelet is that he will associate biting his nails with a little pain, which will be a reason to stop biting them and help him control his desires.
Gloves
Depending on where and when your child bites their nails, gloves may be a quick and easy solution.
They can be ideal to wear while watching TV, on outdoors V cold weather or in bed. You can buy very thin gloves that your child can wear even indoors. After all, most often children bite their nails at home, sitting in front of a computer monitor, TV, or reading.
The less access he has to his nails, the more likely it is that the bad habit can be broken.
Self-adhesive sticky pads
Many people have probably seen pets with bright stripes glued on their nails. They are designed to prevent animals from damaging furniture and walls by scratching. Similar overlays can be glued to a child’s nails.
If you don’t find such pads on sale, you can stick on a regular adhesive plaster. You can start with one finger, leaving the rest open. Gradually you can reach one nail that the child can chew. Such linings need to be changed daily, and possibly several times a day.
Remember that most children will grow out of their nail biting habit in their free time. If you are truly concerned, or there are secondary problems such as infections or anxious behavior, be sure to see a doctor and psychologist.
We hope that at least one of the tips will help you solve the problem and your child will stop biting his nails.
How to stop a child from biting his nails, advice from doctors
Advice from a psychologist on what to do to stop a child from gnawing
You can hear the question among mothers: how to stop a child from biting his nails? According to statistics, about 30 percent of preschool children do this.
Many parents believe that this mannerism will disappear as they grow older. Returning to the statistics: between the ages of 10 and older, 50 percent of children bite their nails. A larger percentage falls on males.
This widespread behavior has even received a medical term – onychophagy. And this is no longer a habit, but a disease of a psychological nature. Onychophagia is accompanied by a parallel disease - dermatophagia - the habit of gnawing on hangnails (cuticle).
Nail biting is an outward manifestation of problems that lie deep inside. At the same time, the baby does these manipulations involuntarily, without even realizing that discomfort is occurring in him, and he feels disharmony.
Outwardly, it seems that the child is biting his nails, but the reason is psychological in nature and remains purely individual:
Why do they sell popcorn in movie theaters? What about the desire to munch in front of the TV? It's not a matter of hunger at all, but an instinct to occupy one's hands with something.
The baby exhibits a defensive reaction, trying to move the epicenter of his experiences to another point, in this case to the physical elimination of the ailment.
Physiological reasons
In this world everything is interconnected. The consequences of this situation will be discussed later, but in addition to psychological factors, there are also physiological individual characteristics, influencing the occurrence of dermatophagy and onychophagia.
Regardless of the origin of the factors, the main cause of this type of disease is overexertion and stress.
Consequences of onychophagia
The habit of biting nails from childhood can continue into adulthood. All doctors are unanimous in this opinion. Unpleasant consequences- that's putting it mildly. Consequences include:
- The appearance of helminths;
- Infection with microbes and viruses;
- As a consequence, it follows from the previous paragraph that frequent infectious diseases, including viral and intestinal;
- Modification of the nail plate and periungual space;
- Stopping nail growth;
- Inflammatory surface processes;
- The appearance of periodontal disease, when the gums no longer tightly hold the tooth in its cell.
This is just a physical manifestation. There is also a psychological aspect. Usually, such children are laughed at by their peers and do not want to communicate with them because of their ugly behavior. appearance. Such treatment can hurt a little person. He will remain closed and complex even if he gets rid of this habit over time. He will be deprived of full communication, but already in adulthood, so it is extremely important to know how to wean a child from biting his nails.
First actions
Each factor and reasons are individual, therefore there is no identical panacea for this.
After observing, parents should find answers to the following general questions:
By answering these questions, parents will be able to independently identify the cause, and therefore eradicate the problem. However, due to certain circumstances this does not always work out. Here it is necessary to consult a specialist. First, you should seek help from a child psychologist.
Exists small percentage cases when the problem is catastrophic in nature and a banal habit can subsequently develop into a mental or psychological deviation. In this case, you should consult a neurologist.
Each parent must find their own solutions. We need to start with ourselves. Many of them make a mistake and begin weaning with prohibitions, shouting and using physical strength. Others try not to pay attention to it, thinking that it will go away on its own over time.
- The age of the child does not matter. There is no need to make comments or use violence. This will cause anxiety, the baby will become noticeably nervous, and the nails will suffer again. It is necessary to explain in a calm and friendly tone why this is bad.
Naming objective reasons, it is not worth saying that with such fingers no one will love him. Without noticing it, the parent can cause harm with this phrase, which will affect the child’s self-esteem in the future.
- Be patient, imagining that this childish “manner” is akin to an adult bad habit, for example, smoking. Is it easy to pick up and quit smoking? Here you can and should use cunning. The banal explanation, because it is impossible, does not work. For the little ones, psychologists advise telling an instructive tale. The emphasis is on positive characters who did not bite their nails, were neat, and so on. But you cannot translate these heroes into the child himself with the phrase: “you see, you will be the same...”.
- Find photos of inflammation and the consequences of the disease. This is more effective than a belt.
- To reduce auto-aggression or outburst of irritation, playing sports is effective. Great solution is swimming.
A children's punching bag and torn sheets of paper will help to wean a small child from biting his nails and throw out pent-up aggression.
- In some cases, you can help your child with sedatives.
-Footnote-
Important! Medicines Do not give without first consulting a doctor!
What not to do when weaning your baby
The list of what not to do is extremely simple.
- No criticism!
Don't let yourself yell at your child. A negative attitude and constant focus will only make things worse. The baby will be stressed and his hands will automatically go to his mouth. In addition, a bad habit can result in an action that is performed in defiance of mom or dad.
Explain why this cannot be done, without pulling back, prohibiting or shouting. Use your imagination, compose a fairy tale about a hero who bit his nails and got sick. This will make it easier for the baby to accept what you demand from him.
2. Do not use burning substances.
Some people smear their fingers with aloe juice (agave) and hot pepper. “Caring” parents, tired of fighting this bad habit, even grease their fingers with mustard or laundry soap. True, fingers can get into not only the mouth, but also the eyes, and this sometimes results in burns and painful sensations, so doctors do not recommend using such methods.
The atmosphere in the house and non-medicinal products
Before bedtime, children can be given a weak decoction of mint and chamomile to drink. Pharmacies sell special herbal teas for children with a calming effect. Warm milk with honey helps a lot. If your baby is allergic to lactose, you can replace the milk with warm water.
Also, before going to bed, it is necessary to ventilate the room. Can be used essential oils. For example, in a ventilation field, you can drop a couple of drops of lavender oil into the lamp. Now on sale there is a wide selection of aromatic bath foams designed specifically for children.
More praise, care, attention, kisses and hugs. Perhaps the reason for this habit is banal, lies on the surface and is a consequence of a lack of parental attention.
- If you cannot identify the cause, then drawing will help. Give your child a sheet of paper and colorful pencils, paints, and markers. Ask to draw his family, friends, home, the world around him.
Then look at the drawing. Usually, if everything is in order, the young artist prefers colorful flowers. Problem areas are usually painted in dark colors.
- If this approach does not produce results, then you should contact a psychologist or neurologist. Perhaps the reason is physiological in nature, which is more early age did not appear.
Rules for the whole family to follow
Rule No. 1. All family members should become a model for the child’s imitative behavior. It is naive to expect different behavior if one of the family members constantly puts their hands in their mouth. Teach your children how to take care of themselves and their nails!
Rule #2: If this is a way for your child to vent negativity, teach him another way to release aggressive energy. Enroll him in sections and clubs based on his interests. It will have a particularly positive effect on sports, as in this area there is a release of energy that is not directed at the person himself.
Rule No. 3. Get involved in a common cause. Use scissors, draw, sculpt animal figures. For older girls, a variant of weaving with beads, cross stitch. This is also useful for developing fine motor skills.
Rule No. 4. Establish contact between you. Show how much you all love the baby. How important he is! Pay attention to physical contact and touch. Hug him, stroke him, be affectionate with him. Such an atmosphere in the house will set you up for a positive wave and help you forget about stress.
Spend time together. Relax in the fresh air. Come up with a hobby or tradition that will bring you together.
Rule No. 5. Discuss the current situation at a common table. Talk about the negative consequences of the habit. Sometimes fears help. Watch a video on this topic. You will learn many interesting points from it, and your baby will be interested to know what is happening to him. The articles and short instructions by Dr. Komarovsky are very good.
In many families, even the most loving and attentive to each other, the child bites his nails, and the parents themselves decide how to wean him off. Here are some tips from experienced moms:
Advice No. 1. Yuryeva Alena, 32 years old
“I ran into this problem. Teaching hygiene helped. After each swim, we did a manicure together in a playful way. Neat, beautiful nails did the trick.”
Tip No. 2. Anikina Maria, 26 years old
“And we bribed the child. True, I managed to wean myself from a bad habit only at the age of 10. She offered her son a contract “50 rubles per day of abstinence.” At first I lasted three days, but they agreed on a week. In the next 7 days, I already paid for my efforts and gave the well-deserved 350 rubles. As an option, you can use well-deserved “pocket money.”
Tip No. 3. Zoya Kapotova, 29 years old
Our little one started biting her nails at the age of 6. It became a real manic activity. We tried a special varnish, but it didn't help. Then she tried to smear it with something tasteless. She washed it and continued her work. I had to involve the whole family. When she raised her fingers to her mouth in front of someone, we distracted her with a request to bring something or do something. At first it didn’t help, it took almost two months. Probably because it was impossible to control it all the time. When we realized this, we asked for help in kindergarten and in clubs. When other adults told her about this, she accepted it better and forgot faster.”
An effective way to keep your hands busy. When you see that little hands are reaching into the mouth, it is recommended to give the child a toy. Let it be a transformer, a Rubik's cube, a yo-yo, or anti-stress toys with special filling, of which there are now a great many. You can, for example, spill something by accident and ask your child to help you. There are a lot of options.
Rewinding a ball of thread or tying knots will help keep your hands occupied. Educational toys in the form of lacing are effective. In addition to keeping their hands busy, they also develop logical thinking.
They help breathing exercises, inhale and exhale with quick clenching and unclenching of the fists. A kind of auto-training.
Many cosmetic companies produce special nail polish. It is absolutely harmless to the baby’s health, but if it gets into the mouth it causes severe bitterness. Depending on the type of varnish, it is applied every day or once every three days.
The girls will get help in the nail salon - masters apply children's designs on their nails, but you definitely won't want to gnaw off such beauty. The comparison with a princess works well.
When to take your child to the doctor
If your baby is prone to the bad habit of biting his nails, then you may need the help of a specialist. After all, the reason may lie in poor relationships with parents or friends, workloads at school that are difficult to cope with, lack of sleep patterns and complexes hidden inside.
Take a closer look at the child’s surroundings and identify the problem that has arisen. You can contact a psychologist with her.
In order to identify a lack of vitamins, get examined and consult a pediatrician. Perhaps he will send you to highly specialized specialists.
About researching the problem
The habit of biting nails is widespread: in the Netherlands there are clinics that help wean people off it. The course lasts approximately a month. During this time, psychologists work with the “sick” patients, simultaneously conducting creative activities and observing physiology. They also use special equipment to distract the hands.
The treatment process takes a fairly long period, so parents need to be patient, gradually eliminating all external stimuli.
Alena is a regular expert on the PupsFull portal. She writes articles about psychology, education and learning and games for children.
Articles written
Agree, bitten nails, unkempt cuticles, and shaggy hangnails don’t look very neat. This, of course, is not fatal, but from isolated cases it develops into a constant need. And if a child biting a nail plate can be justified by his young age, then an adult causes rejection.
Often, parents who notice such a tendency turn to doctors asking why their child bites his nails. Let's try to figure it out together.
Habit or disease?
Uncontrolled nail biting is known as onychophagia. Experts are convinced that this term describes not only a bad habit, but also a mental disorder.
Most often it affects children 7-10 years old. According to statistics, as people grow older, the number of nail biters increases to 45%. Psychologists associate this with adolescence and teenage problems.
At any age, the process occurs automatically: a person reflexively puts his fingers in his mouth, without realizing the action itself. Subconsciously, he seeks to calm down, returning to infancy and imitating the act of feeding.
Physiological reasons
If you notice that your child is biting his fingernails, this may be a consequence of physiological processes. Experts list these factors as:
Psychological reasons
Physiology alone is not enough to explain why a child bites his fingernails. In most cases, the habit is explained by psychological reasons:
- Adaptation to a new environment. When moving to kindergarten or school, the child is separated from his mother, ending up in new world. Poor socialization contributes to stress, which the child tries to “bite.” Increased study load and associated nervousness are also the root of evil.
- Homely atmosphere. Scandals, squabbles, and assault negatively affect the child’s psyche. Feeling guilty, the baby directs aggression towards himself.
- Genetics, copying other people's movements. Hereditary predisposition, the tendency to adopt the habits of peers or adults can explain onychophagia. Therefore, you should not be surprised that a child bites his nails already at the age of one year.
- Early weaning breastfeeding. The baby simply replaces the mother's breast with his finger.
Thus, the main driving forces of a bad habit are stress and anxiety. It’s trite but true – some people bite their nails simply out of boredom.
Consequences
Few people thought that “harmless” nail biting leads to serious consequences. Doctors warn that such a violation entails:
- slower nail growth, deterioration of aesthetic appearance;
- getting dirt and bacteria located under the nail plate into the mouth;
- deterioration of gums and teeth;
- decreased self-esteem due to ridicule from others.
How to stop biting your nails
You need to wean your child off as soon as you catch him red-handed. But not from a position of strength, but with the help of certain tricks. Instructions on how to stop a child from biting his nails will help parents cope with onychophagia:
Distract your child and redirect his attention to other tasks. You can play nail salon with the girls, while telling them about the beauty and health of nails.
Show with your example how beautiful it is to have neat nails without nibbled edges. For boys, provide emotional release with active games: football, tag.
Tell them that each finger is a kind of friend that helps with writing, folding construction sets, and eating. And you can't hurt your friends.
Use the technique of the American doctor Milton Erickson, who recommends dedicating a short period of time to a bad habit.
Let's say that the child is allowed to bite his nails for 1 hour in the evening. This simultaneously makes the baby happy, because he received approval, and binds him to a time frame. Soon he will get tired of biting his nails according to the regime, and the habit will gradually fade away.
Do not humiliate your child under any circumstances, do not compare him with those who do not bite their nails. This will aggravate the situation and lead to an even greater desire to take out aggression on oneself.
Using varnishes
Except psychological impact You can buy special varnishes that give your nails an unpleasant taste when you try to bite them.
One of the popular transparent products is “Nekusayka”. It is a small bottle with a thin brush. Effective for both children and adults. Not included harmful substances, formaldehyde and resins. To prevent your child from guessing, apply nail polish while sleeping.
Folk recipes
Our grandmothers also knew what to do when a child bites his nails. Modern mothers will consider such methods outdated and unnecessarily harsh, but for the sake of completeness of the topic, we list them:
- applying “natural bitterness” to the fingers – pepper, aloe, mustard;
- smearing your fingers in brilliant green, which should, by its appearance, discourage you from the habit of putting your nails in your mouth.
Such experiments are controversial; they will only work on two- or three-year-old babies. The main thing to remember is that getting rid of any habit takes some time. It's not worth the wait quick results, it’s better to be patient and don’t scold your child if he doesn’t succeed.
Are you also tormented by the question of how to stop a child from biting his nails? No wonder, the problem is as old as time. This bad habit is present not only in children, but also in some adults, whose parents, apparently, were not very concerned about this problem.
In junior school age Up to 30 percent of children are susceptible to this habit; among adolescents, this percentage increases to 45 percent. In children, the habit of biting nails may appear in at different ages. Children of preschool and school age are especially prone to this.
Over time, a bad habit can become a real problem. This illness is a sign of the child’s mental discomfort. Doctors have equated the habit of biting nails with a disease. Its name is onychophagia.
Dermatophagy is a similar phenomenon, gnawing of skin in the area of nails and cuticles. This habit is a serious psychological or physiological problem.
“...A habit has been given to us from above, it is a substitute for happiness...” A. S. Pushkin
In general, all of the above reasons can be called in two words – psychological discomfort. Before looking for the answer to the question of how to stop a child from biting his nails, take a close look at the child, at his environment, and talk to him about his problems.
The most important thing in this problem is not to scold your child for the bad habit of biting his nails.
When we notice a chewed nail, we try to scold the rodent. Of course, this is not hygienic, not aesthetically pleasing. And how many microbes enter the baby’s mouth at this moment?Punishing a child can make the situation worse. Children often do things that they are not allowed to do. It is unlikely that you will be able to get rid of the disease with one desire.
It is necessary to understand what worries the baby. Try to ensure a calm atmosphere in the house. You need to understand at what point the child does this.Watch the baby. Maybe he's just trying to attract extra attention to himself. Maybe the baby was left alone at home, or there was some kind of scandal in the family. If the child is already old enough, try to carefully talk to him about his problems and understand his psychological state.
At the pharmacy you can buy special nail polish; special “non-biting” varnishes have a harmless base, but a bitter taste. Of course, children are different. Some will taste the bitter varnish and will not bite. Others will gnaw and endure bitterness. But it is important to remember that you need to find out the cause first.
For preschoolers, you can come up with a fairy tale or story, an instructive story where main character bit his nails and something very bad happened to him.
By the way, there is such a toy - “Dog Storyteller”. The set includes a toy mitten “Dog” and 50 fairy tales for 33 whims. As well as detailed methodological guidance from psychologists. This set contains a fairy tale on the topic “how to stop a child from biting his nails”
Under the impression of such a fairy tale, the child will bite his nails less often, and over time he will stop completely.
As soon as you notice that the child has begun to bite his nails, switch his attention to another activity; it is best to offer games that involve his hands. You can also offer your child dry food or candy in return.
For older children, especially girls, get a beautiful professional manicure; it is not necessary to cover your nails with bright varnish, especially if this is not approved at school. In general, as soon as girls grow up and start getting manicures and nail extensions regularly, this bad habit disappears instantly.
You can’t scare schoolchildren with fairy tales anymore, so you’ll have to put pressure on their pride, tell us what consequences the habit of biting nails can have, that such nails cause disgust and peers can laugh at him.
At this age, the child is able to think about the consequences of his actions.
Very often, children bite their nails when parents do not take care of nail hygiene and do not cut them off in a timely manner. They break, the child is uncomfortable and simply bites them off so as not to interfere.
But if a child bites his nails very aggressively, which is called “to the point”, and no methods help, in this case, consult a neurologist or psychiatrist.
Even if you can’t cope with this bad habit, you shouldn’t dwell on the problem. Of course, if the situation worries you, then you should show your child to a specialist. A child who grows up in a favorable atmosphere rarely suffers from onychophagia.
Now you have learned how to stop your child from biting his nails. One needs the advice of a neurologist and psychologist, while the other quits gnawing himself, seeing the results of his actions. And still others need to be hugged harder and patted on the cheek.
It is possible to prevent the occurrence of this disease. Prevention for children will be the love and understanding of loved ones.
And what if not the love and care of parents can help cope with this habit.Remember this and you will succeed!
Photobank Lori
My parents sprinkled quinine powder on me. It helped in early childhood, then the habit returned. My husband bought baby teethers so that I would better bite them instead of my nails, it works well.
Only bitter pharmaceutical varnish helped us. All the stories about bacteria, helminth eggs and other horrors did not have the desired effect. But it was during that period that the child became interested in the microcosm and enjoyed listening to fairy tales about flagellates, looking at pictures and drawing amoebas, ciliates and other chlamydomonas himself.
Photobank Lori
My younger brother was biting his nails. Below zero, I managed to chew on my feet. Whatever they did! Mustard? Ate it. Varnish? What a little thing! - and chewed off the varnish. Mom took extreme measures: watching TV together - sitting in mittens. At first, my brother smiled: what the heck, hehe. But my mother is strict, and she sent me to bed in mittens. She said: if you don’t stop, then you’ll go to school wearing mittens, and spring is just around the corner... In general, it’s a shame, but it worked.
“Nail biting” is one of the options for getting out of a situation where you have nowhere to put your hands. Therefore, it is best to offer your child other options to occupy his hands when he is nervous: you need to take something that you can twist or finger. This could be an ordinary rosary, a pad with silicone balls. I sewed small toys with buckwheat - it calmed my nerves and stimulated the nerve endings at my fingertips.
The situation when a child bites his nails is not just a bad habit. This is always a symptom of some kind of trouble, and it is important to find out its cause. It can be organic, related to a health condition: for example, neurological disorders. Or it may be hidden in the external circumstances of the life of the child and his family. It is no coincidence that many children begin to bite their nails due to some kind of stress: the birth of a younger brother or sister, entering school, etc. Observe how often and under what circumstances the baby begins to pull his finger into his mouth - this will help you understand the cause of the difficulties. For example, if this happens in the evenings, consider whether the child is overtired during the day. If your baby bites his nails in the garden, he may have difficulty communicating with children. When the habit is constant, obsessive, the child bites his nails literally until they bleed - you cannot do without the help of a specialist. It's better to start with child psychologist: he will understand the situation and tell you whether the child needs psychological correction or drug treatment
Margarita Konchalovskaya
My daughter started biting her nails at a fairly advanced age, around 6-7 years old. So, in order to wean her from this habit, she and I started going to a salon that offered a “Children’s manicure” service. When she had beautiful nails done for the first time, she herself said that it was a pity to spoil such beauty. We did everything we could with it: sparkles, stickers, and just bright color in the summer. They spared no time and money, and gradually the problem resolved itself. Now this habit has long been forgotten, but the habit and desire to keep nails beautiful and tidy has appeared.
Photobank Lori
Let me start with some background – I can’t stand liver, I can’t stand it in any form at all. So, back in kindergarten, when I started biting my nails, my grandmother told me that this would cause a worm to live in my stomach. And not only will this beast live there forever, because it cannot be removed, but he, the bastard, also eats only liver, and I will have to eat it! I stopped biting my nails. And then my grandmother and I were traveling on the train, and I saw a boy biting his nails. And then the dialogue: “Do you bite your nails? Aren’t you afraid?” - "No". - “Do you like liver?” - "Yes". - “Ah-ah, well then, chew on it.”
She offered money, 100 rubles. in a day. I check on Sunday; if they have grown, they receive 700 rubles. I don’t know how pedagogical this is, but it works well for a 14-year-old “baby.” The result was already within a week.
Photobank Lori
Like all bad habits in children, nail biting is a consequence of neurosis and lack of tactile contact with loved ones and parents. Our son (5 years old) started biting his nails when he arrived. youngest child. Naturally, he received less attention - all his worries were about the younger one. We went to a psychologist, and she pointed out our omission. Advice: pay more attention to the child, more hugs and kisses, praise and care. And not a single bad habit will stick to your baby!
The habit of biting nails is a neurotic reaction similar to thumb sucking or tics. Schoolchildren suffer from this disorder more often than children, because they experience great physical and emotional stress. In this way, the child tries to cope with stress, anxiety, and excitement. If parents, instead of looking for a reason, scold and constantly reprimand their son or daughter, the situation only gets worse. A vicious circle arises: anxiety leads to the habit of biting nails, ugly hands anger parents, as a result, the baby’s nervous tension increases, and self-esteem drops even lower. Often this problem occurs in conjunction with other disorders. nervous system: increased excitability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (up to 75% of children with ADHD bite their nails), enuresis. And the physical consequences can be helminthic infestations, inflammation of the periungual tissues, periodontitis, up to exposure of the neck of the tooth. So the child definitely needs help. There is no special medicine for children who bite their nails - bitter pharmaceutical varnishes do not always help and often only take the problem into another direction. But sometimes doctors prescribe mild sedatives and nootropic drugs in such cases.
Maria Ziborova
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