extreme nail biting. any solutions?

[Meglet]

5yo DD has been biting her nails for 3yrs or so. I can't seem to crack it. I've used the nasty tasting stuff you paint on, there's a pot of it I dip her fingers in but it seems to wear off within a couple of hours so no good for school. And I've painted her nails in the holidays but she's gnawed that off in a couple of days.

Her nails are at the stage where the skin bleeds and is angry and swollen . She's very highly strung and spirited so I think she has anxiety issues, but that might be a long term problem to untangle. Reward charts don't work for anything as she rips them up when she doesn't fancy cooperating.

Any other foul tasting solutions out there? (Am at work so can't reply until later)

No idea at all as I have tried everything to break this habit in myself - from paint on solution to hypnotherapy to CBT to medication, cutting the nails as short as possible, hand lotion, gloves. I had some success in the lead up to my wedding a few years ago which I think had to do with daily trips to the gym and a good diet, however I didn't keep that up! Good luck with the reward charts!

Thanks amanda .Nail biting is a bugger isn't it. I used to bite mine when I was a child, but never to the point where they were bleeding.

I'm going to moisturise her nails tonight, maybe some pampering will help.

I wish I could suggest something helpful. My mum always promised me she would pay for a manicure if I stopped and it's been more than 30 years.

My parents got so desperate that they offered me £100 per nail if I grew them and kept them a reasonable length for 6 months. No chance. I'd love nice nails, but it's not to be. I started when I was 4 (thank you Mum ) by copying my mother, and I'm now 43. Says a lot.

The problem is they have to want to stop.

I bit mine for 17 years, then just stopped, dead, one day. Have never bitten them again.

My DD bit them for 2 years, then stopped for 10 months, then started again

It is anxiety linked for her.

Wish I knew the answer... I have always bitten mine as does my 10 year old daughter, her's she bites right down, making her fingers sore. I have had acrylic nails applied religiously for the last 4 years so I am never without.. Means I don't bite mine anymore. But if they weren't there I automatically would I'm sure.

Hi, we had this and thumb sucking too and cured it over the summer holidays with plasters and medical tape. There was a fuss initially about having the tape on but after a few hours they forgot about it! We kept it up for about 3 weeks day and night and thumb sucking and nail biting is no more!