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Original poster

3 yo constantly licking lips - how to get him to stop?!

27 replies

DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:12

It's driving me insane! He's recently started doing it and he's now got a red patch around his lips which is really sore and then he keeps licking it. If I tell him not to he immediately does it again Hmm. I try and smear some sudacrem on it when I get chance but he will just lick it off. I sneak in his room when he's asleep and manage to get some on at night and it does improve but not enough to withstand the constant licking during the day.

Any tips? Fairly sure loads of kids do this, just wondering if there's a more effective cream I can put on that will clear it up a bit quicker.

OP posts:
Original poster
DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:30

Anyone???

OP posts:
MummyParanoia101 · 03/06/2019 20:32

But of a leap but any signs of ASD?

Dogparty · 03/06/2019 20:33

Sorry I don’t have any experience of this but I wonder if there’s something with a bitter taste that you could put on it? Obviously something that isn’t going to irritate the skin. Apologies, I understand this isn’t the best answer you’ll get!

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Pinkkahori · 03/06/2019 20:34

My dd does this sometimes. It is worse if she is anxious.
I find that drawing attention to it makes it worse.
I bought a Bioderma cream - it's called peri-oral something in the baby range and it's made for chapped skin around mouth. It heals it quickly.

cookielove · 03/06/2019 20:34

I would put vaseline on in the day, will create a nice barrier which will take a while to lick off!

You def want a cream that will aid healing at night maybe an antibiotic cream or savlon?

Original poster
DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:35

No, it's just a recent thing. His lip must have had a sore/dry bit, he licked it to moisten it, that exacerbates it, it gets more sore, he carries on licking it etc etc. Vicious circle.

Keeps doing it when I say not to, because, well he's 3! And very stubborn.

I'm sure I did the same for a time as a kid, lots of kids do. It's just how to break the cycle without it getting too much worse?

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IDontDrinkTea · 03/06/2019 20:37

This sounds weird but nipple cream (the breastfeeding stuff) heals dry and cracked skin really fast. Could you put some of that on it to help it heal?

Teddybear45 · 03/06/2019 20:37

I could give you my mum’s remedy but it’s evil lol. She used to coat our lips (thumbs and dummies) with a tiny amount of black salt mixed with water: Totally harmless but smells and tastes like an open sewer - broke out of the habits overnight.

moreismore · 03/06/2019 20:38

When does he do it? Can you give him a teething toy or similar to chew on absentmindedly? Or my 3 y o (probe to chewing inside of his lip) likes to chew a whole raw carrot... I would rec lansinoh nipple cream to heal it quickly

Original poster
DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:38

Sorry the 'no' was to the suggestion of ASD, few more replies by the time we finished!

I will take a look at that BioDerma cream, pinkkahori, is it over the counter?

OP posts:
holdingonbyathread · 03/06/2019 20:39

Don't draw attention to it as it'll embed it even more. Distraction is probably the key. Every time he's doing it, could you give him ice chips to suck? He can't lick while manipulating something in the mouth? This worked for my ASD son who had a really annoying tic type behaviour.

Original poster
DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:40

I have a skin salve which is thicker than vaseline which I have been smearing on him during the day when I get chance.

He was at nursery for 10 hours today and it was so red and sore when I picked him up poor thing. Looks almost comical, like he's got lipstick on but must be irritating him.

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BertieBotts · 03/06/2019 20:40

Keep applying lip balm/salve to help the dry bit, then he won't have the urge to lick them. DS1 still does this and he is ten! He can do his own lip balm now.

Everythingsbeentaken · 03/06/2019 20:40

My son did this, similar age ( and asd!?). He was copying his teacher. An explanation that it was making his lips sore and that if he felt like he needed to do it to have a drink instead did the trick. We also had to put markers on the water bottle to drink to that level by a set time.

BertieBotts · 03/06/2019 20:41

And it may be that he's slightly dehydrated, ask nursery to remind him to drink

Pinkkahori · 03/06/2019 20:41

Yes. It's over the counter. It has an ingredient that helps against the acid in saliva. It's expensive but i think it's better to use something formulated for the mouth area.

Everythingsbeentaken · 03/06/2019 20:42

Googling Lip Licking Eczema may help too.

Original poster
DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:43

Hmm not sure I could with ice chips, especially as we're out quite a bit but will have a think about the distraction element. Trouble is he does it more or less constantly and while doing other things. I just don't want it to become an unconscious ingrained habit that's really hard to break long term but I think it's getting that way already and it's been less than 2 weeks.

OP posts:
Original poster
DuggeesWoggle · 03/06/2019 20:46

Dehydration you say, Bertie? Interesting as I suspect he doesn't drink enough generally and especially not at nursery where he can go a whole day without using the toilet (another story - potty trained 3 months ago but will not use potty or toilet at nursery despite being absolutely fine everywhere else!) I ask them to make sure he drinks lots but hard to enforce. Will try and get more into him at home too.

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MrMeSeeks · 03/06/2019 20:46

If you’re using vaseline, this can have the opposite effect.
Unsure if this is avail over-counter but i got this from gp and have kept as i get the same ( and then end up make it worse by constantly applying lip balm. Things with petroleum makes it worse)
Fucidin cream, or fucidin h.

Pinkkahori · 03/06/2019 20:48

Could the pottery/nursery situation be making him a bit anxious?

Pinkkahori · 03/06/2019 20:50

Sorry - meant potty.

Middledistancerunner · 03/06/2019 20:50

My four yr old gets himself into a cycle of doing this, if I can stop him a few times then he forgets for a few months and starts again. It looks so sore and like you I’ve found it easiest to treat while asleep.
I’m ashamed to say I’ve found bribery works to motivate him to stop, nothing else.

We go through a lot of packets of chocolate buttons. BlushSad

SunshineAllTheWhile · 03/06/2019 21:01

My then 3 year old did this for a while (no ASD) and I just had to keep explaining that licking his lips will make them sore and put lanisoh on (nipple ointment). This plus a bit of distraction and he stopped fairly quickly. He did do it again for a few days a couple of months later but again, it passed fairly rapidly.

Could you ask nursery to reapply lanisoh or whatever you decide to use every 2 hours or something similar until it clears? And could you also speak to his key worker to try to distract if they see him doing it (discreetly)? Might not be something they will jump at doing but I’m sure most would!

donkir · 03/06/2019 21:07

Sounds like an anxiety thing. My now 4yr old developed anxiety at around 3. His comes across as biting his nails to the point they bleed and get infected. It was a simple thing of a staff member going on holiday from nursery that started his off. He still gets it now if things change without notice.
We now use chewy necklaces which have been amazing and he has several to choose from depending on his mood. Have a look at a company called Chewigem on facebook.