My four year old daughter is obsessed with the yucky habit of picking scabs off small cuts/spots. Her arms and legs feature unsightly often bleeding wounds. I am worried that the scars won't ever disappear as they never get a chance to heal. Have threatened and cajoled to no effect. We are starting a new system whereby at the end of each day if there is evidence of picking she loses a star, and there isn't, she gets a star. Am trying to discourage her without making a big deal about it.
My husband thinks this s fairly normal behaviour but I just wonder if it's a sign of underlying stress. I'm from a large family and none of us picked at scabs. It seems to me it's a form of self harm although I could be just be being neurotic...
thanks for any advice