How can I stop my 5 year old DS biting his nails?

[josben]

My DS will not stop biting his nails - he seems to permantley have them in his mouth, even when playing football or games... We have tried painting on 'Stop n' Grow' but this hasn't worked - infact he says he likes the taste! His nails are now so bitten down that they look sore and painful My mum thinks he does it because he may be anxious - but I think it's just become a habit... Does anyone have any advice on how I can help him stop ?

Will be watching this thread as ds is starting to bite his, and Stop n Grow doesn't bother him in the least.

I'm certain that anxiety plays a part in it, as he started putting his fingers in his mouth and chewing on his fingers when his form teacher was off sick for three weeks and he had a succession of replacements. It was noticeable how many of his classmates started chewing their fingers at that time. Now it's become a habit, but I also see him doing it when he's feeling a bit stressed or uneasy - the other day he was in a situation where he was very unsure of himself, and had both hands in his mouth.

Yes, I think you may be right - how old is your DS? My DS started biting his nails around 6 months ago and this would tie in with when he started school. I would like to help him gain confidence and be a bit more outgoing as he is quite shy and timid and often looks worried when we go and visit or speak to people he's not familiar with... I was thinking of signing him up to drama classes or something similar to help him...

My 4yr old dd has been biting her nails for the last 6-12mths. I am concerned about the anxiety thing but also wasn't sure if it was just something she does. Nothing dh and I have thought of will get her to stop, even having pretty painted pink (her favourite) nails!

When you find out, can you let me know - I'm 34 and can't stop biting mine!!!

Nearly 6.