Nail-biting since the age of 2. How can I stop her doing this?

[Barney10]

Just what it says really. DD (4 years old) been nibbling since a young age. I don't know where she got it from as neither of us have ever done it. Was going to try the nasty stuff you paint on a year or so ago, but it really is vile and her nursery staff suggested she was a little young to do something so awful to her but of course now it's become a real habit. She'll even bite her toenails given the chance!

There was a similar thread recently, I replied to it as bit my nails until late 20's So my reply is not v helpful ( again) In my case I was a worrier - I often managed not to bite them in the school holidays. In my teens I was given several manicure sets which made No Difference in fact I may have used the tools to press out my blackheads yet again (I think I have Aspergers and ADD btw, which may have been relevant in my case)

I have just used the stop and grow stuff on my 7yr old and it has stopped her huge thumb sucking habit overnight. We were worried as it was affecting her adult teeth position.

My dd just sucked her thumb without really realising so the nasty taste has worked really well. We got it from Amazon.

Yes, she sucks her thumb as well! Seeing it as the lesser of two evils at the minute!

Does anyone think she's too young still? I tasted the Stop n Grow and it's truly vile. I think she might cry!

My DD (5yo) has been biting both her fingernails and toenails for a while too - I only noticed when I realised that I hadn't had to cut them for ages! We've used the nasty tasting stuff which worked for a few days but, even with repainting, she's got used to the taste and bites away anyway. Although it does seem to have broken the habbit with the toenails, so that is something. I would certainly give it a try, maybe in your case it will work better. Good luck, I hope you find a solution.

Thanks TFL, we will try it.

Silverpussycat I think DD gets worse when at nursery too. (Cue more Mummy guilt)

Don't feel guilty, some of us are natural worrywarts...

i shall watch this with interest. DD is 6 and has always bitten her nails (toenails too!). I have tried to do a 'mummy/daughter time' when I trim/file my nails and do the same for her, so she does not think she has to bite them as they are too long. But whenever i come to do it, there is not enough nail to groom!

She had an infection in her finger very recently, due to biting the 'quick' after biting some nail off first. It became pussy, red (and yellow, and brown eventually) and swollen, and very, very sore. She lost the nail completely. It has grown back again fine, but for a good couple of weeks her finger was very very painful. GP saw it as it was healing and said it was ok, but if it had taken a day or two longer, would have needed antibiotics.

I thought that would have been enough to deter her, but despite this happening as a direct consequence of nail biting, she continues.

I am less bothered about the physical appearance. I have horrible looking nails myself, not sure if that is because I am/was a nail biter, or i am a nail biter because I have shit nails. I am concerned that she will get re-ocurring infections because of it.

So I shall see if there is a technique to be used that would help us too !

My DD (almost 4) is the same. Bites fingernails (and toenails if possible) constantly. My main concern about it is that I don't like to see her feeling worried/insecure/etc which I think is when she bites them. Or I could just be reading too much into it and projecting my own feelings! I used to bite my nails and have memories of my (well-meaning) parents often telling me not to, and I remember this making me feel quite self-conscious/insecure. So I'm trying not to tell DD to stop doing it. I've just mentioned a few times when she isn't actually in the middle of biting, for example when six asks to have her nails painted.

Sorry, not much help!

I got a whitlow from pulling down and biting the skin to the side of my nail, twas v painful and needed lancing. I did learn from that though - and from then on, took more care in my nail-biting.

Also, not much help!

No, it seems it's one of those things they've just got to want to stop themselves. I just know she'll regret it when she's older and all her friends are painting their nails and she's got no nails left.

Still, there are much worse things I suppose!

Thanks everyone! If I find a solution will definitely post!
x

DS1 (13) is being fitted for a brace soon. We were asked whether a) he has ever sucked his thumb and b) has he ever bitten his nails?

He has never done either. I understand the thuimb sucking but obviously nail biting causes dental problems too presumably?

Interested as DD1 (5) and now dd2 (2) both do this. With DD1 the promise of nail varnish worked very briefly but she is still going, and DD2 is copying her.

I think it's a genetic thing, my mum bit her nails, i did (til they bled) DD14 bit hers til about 9 months ago when I said she could have fake nails (just for christmas). The fake nails fell off and she hasn't bitten her own nails since.

Has cost me a fortune in nail varnish though we must have every colour under the sun.

I think it does affect your teeth.

I was a biter til I was in my 20's. Still nibble when they flake or split.

I had a brace as one front tooth stuck out a bit while the other poked back. I also have quite short, stubby teeth which I was told could have been caused by biting my nails and grinding my teeth. I hate my smile because of this as I'm all gummy.

I am also a worrier. Though, after stopping biting my skin got really bad. I had started to pick at my face and I now had nails with which to do damage. My skin always got slightly better when I bit.

I guess my advice is be careful. If it's just a habit, fine, find her an alternative fidget. If it's a stress thing it's worth tackling that.

And as pp said, manicure sets just upset me as I felt the giver had put no thought into their gift and was drawing attention to my flaw. I was very ashamed of my horrible, often raw, sore and bleeding fingers.