My DS2 is 9. He constantly chews his fingers to the point where they are rough, sore and sometimes bleeding. He chews the nails on a couple of fingers to the quick, but his preference is to chew the skin.
He's done this for a few years, since infant school, and stopped for a while, but then started again.
I was reading up on on Dermatophagia and found out that this is what finger chewing is called in the medical world. I guessed it could be linked to anxiety but I also found that it can be linked to ADHD/ADD. Now, I don't know if DS has ADHD/ADD but thinking about it (as you do when you google a condition) he has a very low attention threshold and struggles to focus on a task. For instance, we've just been cooking (because he was bored and I wouldn't let him play on his tablet) and he just found it so difficult to follow instructions either by reading the cookery book or from me giving him them verbally.
Just wondering if anyone can swap stories and chat about this coupling of conditions. I don't think a formal diagnosis will benefit him, but if there are any words of wisdom with regards controlling his Dermatophagia and ideas of how to modify his diet to reduce the lack of focus and attention they would be very much appreciated. TIA