Strategies For Your Child To Stop Biting His Nails

The habit of biting nails is called onychophagia and mainly affects children from 3 years of age, being more common during puberty and adolescence, as this study published in the Iranian journal of medical sciences points out . In general, this bad habit is usually abandoned by the child without the need for intervention, but what can be done if it persists and begins to hurt itself?

Here are some practical ideas, but first, we will discover why some children bite their nails. Is there some kind of psychological predisposition or cause that triggers the habit?

Causes of infantile onychophagia

When we speak of onychophagia we are not referring to a specific act, but to a constant and repeated situation over time, that is, the child bites his nails on a regular basis. It is an obsessive behavior that, many times, the child carries out without being aware of it.

According to data published in the Latin American Pediatric Dentistry Journal , “ the highest incidence of this bad habit occurs at puberty (44%). It is more common in males than females. In children from 7 to 10 years old, it occurs between 28 and 33% of cases ” .

Among the main causes of this problem are the following:

• Stress.
• The anxiety.
• Boredom.
• Emotionally destabilizing situations for the child, such as the death of a loved one, the birth of a baby brother or family problems.

Another possible cause may be imitation ; the child observes one of his parents (or both) biting their nails and repeats the habit without realizing it. For this reason, among others, it is very important that you, as a parent, avoid biting your nails.

Why is nail biting bad?

Beyond the obvious, in hands with gnawed nails, the main problem with this action is that the child or adolescent can cause great damage to their fingers and even changes in nail color and deformities.

One of the main problems is usually the appearance of infections caused by the transport of bacteria from the nails to the mouth and vice versa, as evidenced by this article published in the journal Science and light .

In addition, the child with this disorder usually also nibbles the cuticle and the skin around the nails. The appearance of wounds can generate, on the other hand, anxiety in the child due to the bad appearance of their hands. Thus, you enter a vicious circle from which it can be difficult to escape.

Dental problems can also occur, such as malocclusion, wear of the front teeth, the appearance of bruxism, wear of tooth enamel and damaged gingival tissue, among others.

Strategies to stop your child from biting his nails

The first step in modifying a habit is to discover what causes it. What is the cause of your child eating his nails? Does it bite them at specific times? Can you identify if it is related to fear, anxiety, tension or boredom? Do some research and then get down to business.

You can tell your child every day that he should not bite his nails, that it is not good, but not get the expected result. For this reason, we suggest you adopt one of the following strategies to help your child modify his behavior.

1. Explain to your child why he should not bite his nails

We know that you keep repeating that you stop biting your nails, but we suggest you go one step further. Take the time to explain the consequences of that bad habit, of course, adapting the information to their age and level of understanding.

2. Be their “alarm”

Talk to your child. This will remind him to stop with the habit every time you see him eating his nails. You can even set a password to try to turn the situation into a playful and complicit moment between the two of you!

3. Buy a teether

An interesting option may be to give your child a teether to help release anxiety and tension. There are many on the market, even specifically designed to prevent nail biting.

4. A toy to keep your hands busy

Offer your child a fidget spinner , a small squeeze ball, or a Rubik’s cube. The idea is to keep your hands busy and avoid chewing on your nails. Another idea is to encourage your child to play sports, as it can be a great way to release tension.

5. Trim your nails daily

There is no better way to avoid temptation than to nip it in the bud. If your child keeps his nails short, it will be more difficult for him to bite and hurt himself. Get into the habit of trimming her nails every day.

6. Bitter enamel

The grandmothers solution can be quite effective. Paint your child’s nails with bitter polish. This way, nibbling on them will no longer be so tempting. If you don’t have bitter nail polish at home, you can put lemon on your nails.

7. Prize system

Help your child not to bite his nails using a system of points and rewards. For every day that he does not bite his nails, he can earn a point and, when he has an agreed amount, you can give him a prize. This doesn’t have to be physical; It can be a trip to the movies, a bike ride or whatever comes to mind and creates pleasure for both of you.

Ultimately, changing a habit takes time. Be patient and accompany your child every step of the way. Remember that it is essential that they feel accompanied, supported and loved by you.