Toddlers biting nails?????

[terribletwos]

Help one of my 20month old twins has started biting his nails. Has anyone elses toddler ever done this?
I am wondering if he is copying DH as he sometimes bites his thumbnail absently mindedly.
I asked the nursery to check and they haven't noticed him doing it there so it may only be when he is tired. Is it a phase?[hmmm]

My dd did this and still does sometimes she also bites her toenails ,we just have to discourage her there is nothing else you could really do unless you want to paint his nails with that yukky stuff (I didn't).
She has made a mess of her nails biting them down and giving herself whitlows and she also took almost half of her big toenail off last xmas eve and I had to take her to A&E ,all they told me to do they was bathe it every few hours.
The dr said they see it quite a lot and is just a bad habit.
I really hate her doing it and she has stopped with the toes but I do notice when she is anxious the old fingers go back in the mouth [sigh].
HTH

Thanks imnotok I will give it few more weeks and see if he stops - like you I am not keen on putting stuff on his nails.

OOh have just started a similar thread about my 6 yr old

here

my 3yo has started doing this too. i am trying to suggest it is a bad idea because he won't be able to use his nails (claws!) but it generally seems to be when he is bored / watching telly. i used to bite my nails too.