picking his nose and eating

[dalu]

My ds 4.5 has this terrible habit to pick his nose and eating whatever comes out. I tried to make disgusting faces or make fun of it but he still doing it. He now start to leak all his fingers. He also bites and sucks his jumper sometimes. Any suggestions how to help him get out of this habits? And why he tdoes it?

doesn't everybody pick and eat? thought that was normal.
now chewing jumpers thats narsty. goes right through me.

Oh, yes, pick and eat is fine (in private). Jumpers would set your teeth on edge to be fair. no help to offer, just came on to put my oar in...

I just can't stop laughing [grim]

I think I read somewhere that actually this is good for them (consuming the germs good for immunity or summat) but I may have dreamt it...

My children chew jumpers and shirts - I still haven't really got to the bottom of it. Can you give him a sort of chew-rag to use instead?

It is great to know that I am not alone on this! I guess I get all up in arms thinking that has a psychological issue behind it all etc etc...

Pretty much all kids I've worked with pick and eat! I think they pick because something irritates them then there's nowhere to put the 'pickings'. However my Dad would agree with VdS and say is an inbuilt instinct to help protect against illness!
As for the chewing I put this down to teething- I know it sounds daft but when y wisdom teeth were coming through I had an uncontrollabe urge to chew random stuff including wooly jumpers.

DS (teenager) still does this. When I remind him to do it privately, he laughs.

Versdesociete, maybe that's why he never gets ill!