3 year old biting nails.

[SwanShaped]

My three year old has started biting her nails. Really far down to the quick. I want to try to stop the habit. Can anyone recommend which is the best paint on stuff? That tastes horrible. Or nail varnish maybe?

I started chewing this young. Turns out I have sensory needs. So how about a sensory chew toy.

Sounds ridiculous on a 3 year old (but really try it if it works and ignore what others think) when I was a bit older I was allowed to wear pretty fake nails, and feeling prettier helped to deter me from chewing.

Stopped these two things and the habit has come back.

(not saying this is the case) perhaps she's doing it to deal with stress as well?

I started chewing my nails way before then and so did both my children. I don’t think I’ve ever had to cut their nails since they were babies.

I’ve never managed to stop it, my 19year old still does.

I still do at 41!

I did try fake nails once but was climbing the walls and had to go back the next day to have them off so I could bite my own

Thanks both. I’ve just painted them with real nail varnish hoping that helps. She has always been a bit fussy over some sensory things. Eg tags in clothes, buttons, hates wearing clothes. I asked her and she says she doesn’t like the feel of her nails. But has equally made a couple of them bleed. And she has been a bit anxious over the last few months (thanks lockdowns). So it might be a combo of all of that. I’d always assumed that it would start at an older age tho.

wooknee what are your sensory needs? If you don’t mind me asking. I wonder if it’s similar to my daughter

I bit my nails at this age and still do at 36. My mum tried everything but I could never stop. It’s never negatively affected me.

Yeah I get the feeling that it’ll be something I can’t really control.

My DD started biting her nails when she started nursery. She was an anxious little thing and would stand around niblling away whilst watching the other children play. Then lockdown hit in march and she slowly stopped biting them.
I was so relieved, she's 5 now and obviously back at school but alot more confident and no longer biting.

oral sensory needs. I would bite furniture, clothes anything I could sink my teeth into. Mum tried to stop me from biting my nails using nail varnish, I would scrape off the varnish with my teeth, and continue to bite them. Even particular varnish intended to taste disgusting I'd scrape off. What worked was pretty fake nails that I picked out, I remember they were french nails with cute charms, although I still bite as stopped getting them. I couldn't reach them.

I (privately) use chew toys intended for babies. A combination of that and fake nails she can't get off easily I think is more likely to do the trick?

I've got no idea where that extra sentence came from 'I couldn't read them'

reach

Not nails, but my nearly 6yo chews his t shirt. I think it's out of boredom and would also like to know what to do to stop this habit.

Hopefully your daughter will stop it on her own as she grows up.

Interesting, wooknee. My daughter has been very into eating stuff you’re not supposed to. Beyond the usual baby exploration. She’s mostly grown out of it now but still eats moisturiser and bubble mixture. Used to eat sand, soil, cotton pads. Stuff you would think she might nibble on but then not like. But she would actually eat it. More than once too. She had a chewy toy so maybe I’ll encourage that a bit. Nail varnish has worked so far today.

I used to chew my hair and sleeves when I was young. Just remembered. But then grew out of it.