AIBU to put chilli on his fingers?

[Creamcrackered1]

Hi, my 5yr old is biting his nails really badly so much so that they are frequently swelling with infection and needing lancing. We have tried stop-and-grow, but he just nibbles through it and don't know what else to do. If it was just nail biting, I wouldn't mind, but they get so painful and infected that he sobs when he washes his hands. Someone suggested rubbing a chilli on them as a stronger deterrent... would that be unreasonable?! He is very shy, but has lots of friends and is very happy so don't think there is a big psychological issue to deal with.

[BlossomHillOne]

How can you have got to adulthood without knowing that rubbing chill in your eye is not a good idea?

[SuckingEggs]

Hmm. I'm shocked you can seriously have no idea that chilli is hot.

What did you think it would be like?

[Alibobbob]

Glad your feeling more positive. Please try the chew knecklaces or some other sort of chewelry. I hope you get this sorted soon.

[maxeffort0satisfaction]

what the fuck is wrong with u u insane cruel person? take him to the doctor and explain it and if it persists take him again to the doctor and explain it. ffs.

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I think it is perfectly possible to get to adulthood without knowing the effect chilli has on skin: my parents and sister don't eat spicy food, none of them will ever have cooked with a chilli. Maybe coincidental but they are quite stressy types with anxiety issues too. My DSis is a very bad nail biter. She is very outwardly happy go lucky too, but hopeless at trying new things.

I do think you are underestimating your son's psychological issues though. I have a 20 year old thumb sucker, she is very happy and extrovert, proper life and soul of the party. But she is really not good at handling stress, which has only become apparent as she has got older.

And thinking about it, everyone I know who bites their nails is a very anxious person, some hide it better than others.

[ricketytickety]

I think you report your post for it to be deleted.

[isthistoonosy]

I've reported your post asking for.it.to be deleted ar your request op.

Also if you need help.finding waterproof gloves that are very hard to take off pm.me as I know I've a pair somewhere so can look the brand up for you. Good luck getting it cracked

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Oi! I thought my post was helpful too

And to shine my halo with more helpfulness... Our vet told us to paint our dogs stitches with Tabasco to stop him nibbling at them. It was almost healed, having spent ages on one of those dog neck cone thingies, sooo, we did (this was when I was growing up, yonks ago), and it failed miserably, he just chewed on through and completely opened up a 10 inch wound on his hind leg. Poor dog. He took one look and just froze, crying whimper wrong very quietly and refusing to look at it again... I think he realised that it was bad, poor thing. Anyway, I slept on the kitchen floor with him that night to comfort him until we could get to the vet early that morning.

My parents then tried the same thing on my nails and had a similar effect (without the horrendous open wound!)... Ruddy nothing!

My point being: A determined biter will nibble on through whatever nasty taste is put on there. A determined biter will just push on through and just lost in that moment actual damage doesn't act as a deterrent. Whether dog, not or teen :)

Ps the moral of that story is to satisfy the need with something else, don't expect anything else to work!

Chew toys and twiddle toys for the humans, and smooth cotton gloves to help skin to heal and protect at night. And for the dog? Endless cone collars, with no parole for good behaviour!

[Waterlemon]

My son goes through phases of clothes chewing and nail biting

These have really helped to deflect the chewing. Might be worth a try?

chewigem

[Rainatnight]

I was a very anxious child and bit my nails constantly. I didn't get any help and grew up into an anxious adult who has battled all my life with it.

Behaviour is language. What's he telling you?

[Solasum]

Re aloe Vera, in antiquity, they used to cut it, wait till the sap ran yellow, then anoint wounds with it. It turns them yellow then black but supposedly aids healing. I have tried it on a few scratches, and it did seem to heal faster than usual.

[Creamcrackered1]

Apologies MiscellaneousAssortment - I was just a bit shocked by the responses that were coming up. If I'd known that Chilli does more than just taste really really hot, I wouldn't have asked the question to start with. I gave him a teething bracelet so he could play with the beads, but didn't help and then he broke it! However, I might get a necklace for him to use over the summer with a teething chewie thing on (I have them for my 9 month old) so maybe he'll chomp on that instead.

[VertiginousOust]

I'm tempted to order myself one of those chewy bangles and see if it helps me give up!
I would say it's perfectly possible to be a non-anxious nail-biter, I've never had any trouble with anxiety, it's just a habit.