Hand sucking and licking

[MegRo]

My 2.5 yo has started a nasty habit of licking and sucking her hands. Sometimes they’ll both be shoved in her mouth at once while she’s licking at them. She’s really going for it, drool and all!

For background info she’s still boobed to sleep but never any other time though she loves it. She’s never taken a dummy (apart from a week when she was about 28 months and found one in her room. We put a stop to it, but she asked for it for about a month afterward) and she’s never been a thumb sucker.

She shows no signs of developmental issues- seems to be fairly bright, sociable, great understanding of the world etc.

So, is this normal? How do we stop it (esp. given the circumstances I’d rather her hands weren’t in her mouth 24/7). Any ideas?

Anybody?

Is her skin dry? You could try hand cream or body lotion.

Mine went through this phase, usually when absorbed in another task such as tv or books. I read it could be a self soothing thing and I realised he was having new nursery stress. It stopped on its own, but every now and throat 3 years old he will chew his hands, again when stressed (but now perhaps once every month or two)

*every now and then ... typo!

Her skin isn’t dry at all, and I can’t see that there’s anything irritating her.

It good to know she’s not alone. Normally these things don’t bother me, but it’s grim, her tongue is out, she’s slobbering everywhere and tries to talk through a mouth full of fingers! She doesn’t really have any new stressors, but then, you never really know what’s getting to them, do you? Thanks for your advice 🙂 I guess just letting her be could be the answer!