Strategies To Get Your Child To Stop Biting Their Nails

Your child is biting their nails and you don’t know how to help them quit this bad habit? Find out the best strategies for preventing your child from biting their nails.

Not biting your nails can be more complex than you might think in the first place. Why ? Quite simply for two reasons. First, habits, when they are ingrained, tend to be difficult to change, and second, nail biting can be a way for children to express their emotions.

Of course, not all is lost and strategies can always be found to stop your child from biting (and eating) their nails. Read our article to find out!

Tips for not biting your nails

The habit of biting their nails is called onychophagia and mainly affects children from the age of 3. It becomes more common during puberty and adolescence. In general, this bad habit tends to be abandoned by the child without needing to intervene. However, what can we do if he persists and starts to injure himself?

In this article we will look at some practical ideas, but first we will find out why some children bite their nails. Is there a type of psychological predisposition or a cause that would trigger this habit?

Causes of infantile onychophagia

When we speak of onychophagia, we are not referring to a one-off act but to a constant and repeated situation over time, that is to say that the child bites his nails on a regular basis. It is an obsessive behavior that the child often carries out without realizing it.

According to some data published in studies, the greatest incidence of this bad habit begins during puberty. It is more common in boys than in girls. In children from 7 to 10 years old, it is present between 28% and 33% of cases. Among the main causes of this problem are:

• The stress.
• Anxiety.
• Boredom.
• Emotionally destabilizing situations for the child, such as the death of a loved one, the birth of a little brother or sister or even family problems.

Another possible cause can be imitation. Indeed, the child observes one of his parents (or both) biting his nails and repeats it without even realizing it. It is for this reason, among others, that it is very important that you avoid biting your nails.

Why shouldn’t we bite our nails?

Apart from the obvious, on hands with biting nails, the main problem with this habit is that the child or teenager can hurt their fingers. Also, color changes on the nails may take place, and the nails may be deformed.

One of the main problems is the appearance of infections caused by the transport of bacteria from the nails to the mouth and vice versa.

In addition, the child who suffers from this disorder also tends to bite the cuticle and the skin around the nails. On the other hand, the appearance of injuries can generate anxiety in the child because of the bad appearance of his hands. Thus, he enters a vicious circle from which it is difficult to escape.

Also, dental problems can occur, such as malocclusion, wear of front teeth, the appearance of bruxism, wear of tooth enamel and damaged gum tissue, among others.

Strategies to fight bad habits

The first step in changing a habit is to find out what creates it. What’s the reason your kids bite their nails? Do they bite them at concrete times? Can you identify the cause? Is it related to fear, anxiety, tension or even boredom? Search a little and get to work!

You can tell your child every day that he should not bite his nails and yet not achieve the desired result. That’s why we suggest you adopt some of the following strategies to help your child change their behavior.

1. Explain to your child why they should not bite their nails

We know you need to tell her often not to bite her nails, but we’re taking you one step further. Take the time to explain to him the consequences of this bad habit, of course, adapting the information to his age and level of understanding.

2. Be his “alarm”

Talk with your child and work it out with him right now. This will remind him that he needs to stop this habit every time you see him biting his nails. You can even set up a password to try and turn the situation into a fun and friendly moment between the two of you!

3. Buy her a teething ring

An interesting option may be to give your child a teething ring that would help release their anxiety and tension. There are many on the market, some are even designed specifically to avoid biting your nails.

4. A toy to keep his hands busy

Give your child a spinner, a small ball to squeeze or a Rubik’s Cube. The idea is to get his hands occupied and avoid biting his nails. An other idea ? Stimulating your child to play sports, this can be a great way to release tension.

5. Cut her nails every day

There is no better way to ward off temptation than by cutting it off at the root! If your child keeps their fingernails short, it will be more difficult for them to bite them and injure themselves. Also, get used to cutting his nails regularly.

6. Bitter varnish

Grandma’s solution can be quite effective. Make your child’s nails with bitter varnish. So gnawing at them won’t be so tempting for him anymore. If you don’t have bitter varnish at home, you can apply lemon to the nails.

7. Rewards system

Help your child not to bite their nails by using a points and rewards system. For each day that he won’t bite his nails he can earn a point and when he has enough points you can give him a reward. It doesn’t have to be physical, it can be a movie trip, a bike ride or whatever comes to mind and will make both of you happy!

Changing a habit takes time. Be patient and accompany your child in every step of the way. Remember that it is fundamental that the latter feel accompanied, supported and loved.