Bit of a weird one - DD keeps giving herself love bites...

[AngryFeet]

Sorry for the crudely worded subject but I couldn't think what else to call them.

DD (7) often has round bruise like marks on her arm which I found a bit odd but thought she was just falling over at school a lot. But the other day I saw a red mark on her arm and looked closer and realised she is sucking on her arm. From the marks on her arm I would say she normally does it on her inside forearm but this time it was on the inside of her upper arm.

I told her she shouldn't do that as she is damaging her skin and she said ok but today I saw another one. I asked why she does it and she said she likes the taste . Not sure what to do really but it can't be good to be doing this all the time.

What should I do/say?

I used to do this about that age, for the exact same reason. Didn't do it for long though iirc.

Sorry, not got any other useful info.

Whoo, first post....long time AIBU lurker. Just saw this in active topics.

I don't have any advice really except this reminded me that I used to do exactly the same at that age.

Thinking back I found it comforting and I liked to see how dark/big a mark I could make. It was a phase which lasted a few months and then it ended.

Do you actually see her doing it?? If so it's probably best just to distract or just tell her to stop in a low key sort of way. Hopefully, like me, it will just be a short lived phase (like hair sucking which was something I also went through around that time but it was sorted out quite easily as my mum had my hair cut so short it wasn't long enough to reach my mouth!)

Gosh I was a bit of a weird child but I turned out ok (honest!)

OMG my DD used to do exactly the same thing at the same age-I didn't realize what she was doing and eventually booked a Dr's appointment-she confessed in the car on the way.Oh that could have been embarrassing

I used to do that as a child. I was just curious and kept wanting to see what happened, how hard you had to suck etc. I liked the sort of prickly feeling too. Doesn't do any harm really does it?

I also used to do it (but was perhaps a bit older). I have no idea why I did it or why I stopped doing it though.

I also had forgotten that i used to do this. I just liked to see what happened! Stopped as quickly as i started.

It's winter. keep her in long sleeves, don't mention it again i suspect it will stop soon

Just make sure she doesn't move on to making a vacuum over her mouth and chin with a cup for the same effect - I managed to give myself a big purple lovebite beard that lasted for two weeks when I was six

Glad to hear she isn't the only freak

Thanks, I will just assume it is a phase then and keep her away from cups without lids or something!