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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

nail biting 5yr old!

12 replies

belleofball · 28/04/2007 00:18

My Ds has always chewed things,mostly his clothes also duvet cover, pillows, teddy,anything he can get hold of,even my hair when i carried him a lot!!
He now bites his nails constantly and the skin around them,which is getting V.sore. to be honest has been driving me mad but now it's upsetting me.
Any ideas how i can get him to stop please?

OP posts:

eachpeachnallyplum · 28/04/2007 00:22

nope. same prob with dd (5)

TwirlyN · 28/04/2007 00:25

Nope, but if its upsetting you,and he see/knows he'll do it even more.

Original poster

belleofball · 28/04/2007 00:30

Yes iknow TN,I try not to keep telling him to stop,just silently move his hand or distract him. he does look at me sometimes when he is biting,and tries to hide!
But he is also starting to moan that his hands are sore and still does it!

OP posts:

divastrop · 28/04/2007 00:40

im 30 and have been biting my nails since i can remember.my mum tried everything to stop me,even that stuff you paint on thats supposed to taste awful(but it just burns your tongue and you get used to it).i know ive always done it more when nervous or worried.

TwirlyN · 28/04/2007 00:44

ignore, ignore ignore. If that doesn't work, he'll end up just like me. I bite, chew, and pick nails and skin around (just like mother did) until, it's red raw or bleeds. Sorry, habit. Some pick noses, some have bad manners, pick feet, fart, swear or even pull wall paper off the walls and take toys apart. DP waggles his finger in his ear, to loosen wax, uhhh! we all have little habits don't we, are they so bad? My DS chews clothes, went through the blinking one, now we are currently ignoring the teeth clenching/banging together. maybe not much help to you, sorry.

divastrop · 28/04/2007 00:46

my ds+dd1 went through the chewing clothes thing when they started to loose their baby teeth.dd1 was the worst,i gave her one of ds2's teething rings in the end(she used it).

TwirlyN · 28/04/2007 00:52

ohhhhhhh DS that is really interesting you should say that. DS is 5.6 and lost 2 bottom teeth this week. (sorry for hijack), but do you think they feel pain/uncomfortable when they loose baby teeth. My ds is a tough little boy, and it would take ALOT for himto complain about pain.

Original poster

belleofball · 28/04/2007 00:53

He is a V.nervous boy.
Am trying to build his confidence especially with school, he cries sometimes when he is given work,even though he does it fine,he is way ahead of what they expect in reception,it's just getting him to believe in himself.I suppose looking back i was the same,but didn't bite. Used to twirl, hair still do.

OP posts:

divastrop · 28/04/2007 01:01

i dont think it hurts(my ds1 would have told me if he was in pain,he has a very low pain threshold),but they do seem to want to chew stuff.

belleofball-i wish i could suggest some way of helping him to relax and not nail-bite,but im at a loss.

TwirlyN · 28/04/2007 01:05

don't stress, try to ignore. Is it really that important to you that he chews fingers/nails

JustUsTwo · 28/04/2007 08:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

belleofball · 28/04/2007 12:17

Thanks for trying to help and your kind words everyone.
I suppose apart from being a habit thats V.annoying,and the worry of him getting worms all the time! i hate seeing his hands in such a mess and hurting!
I guess i am just going to have to and bear it,and hope he grows out of it.

OP posts:

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