Extreme nail biting.

[eepster]

DS started biting his nails several months ago. At first I felt it was not a battle I wished to fight. Of all the bad habits one could have this one seemed minor. It also seemed to help him with his sensory needs (he has very high sensory needs.) It even saved me from having to trim his very fast growing finger nails at night while he was sleeping or dealing with him wanting to do it himself while awake.

However it has gotten way way out of hand. He chewed all his finger nails right down to the quick. Once he ran out of finger nails to bite he started in on his toe nails. He has now bitten all his toe nails and finger nails well past the quick. The frequently have scabbed areas where they have bled b/c he has bitten them down so far.

This has gone beyond bad habit and is becoming a health issue.

I need to do something to stop it. Of course telling him to stop is pretty in effective. Distraction with food only helps for a short time and comes with different health issues. I'm nervous about putting stuff on his nails to make them taste bad b/c he has eczema that is triggered by any petroleum products including most skin care products.

TIA

[lotusdebi]

What about buying him some safe chewies? My (sensory-seeking) 7 year old loves his! I got him a cord to keep it on so he can have it around his neck.
Here are some examples: http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therapy...ecklaces-1088/
We were dealing with a similar issue - lots of nail chewing to the quick, plus he was chewing up his shirts to the point they were unwearable. And he was still mouthing toys all the time.

Carrots and, to a lesser extent, gum have also been useful in dealing with oral sensory-seeking.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by eepster

DS started biting his nails several months ago. At first I felt it was not a battle I wished to fight. Of all the bad habits one could have this one seemed minor. It also seemed to help him with his sensory needs (he has very high sensory needs.) It even saved me from having to trim his very fast growing finger nails at night while he was sleeping or dealing with him wanting to do it himself while awake.

However it has gotten way way out of hand. He chewed all his finger nails right down to the quick. Once he ran out of finger nails to bite he started in on his toe nails. He has now bitten all his toe nails and finger nails well past the quick. The frequently have scabbed areas where they have bled b/c he has bitten them down so far.

This has gone beyond bad habit and is becoming a health issue.

I need to do something to stop it. Of course telling him to stop is pretty in effective. Distraction with food only helps for a short time and comes with different health issues. I'm nervous about putting stuff on his nails to make them taste bad b/c he has eczema that is triggered by any petroleum products including most skin care products.

TIA

I'm afraid I can't help. I've been doing this since I was a kid (I'm now 41). I've broken the habit, and reformed it, quite a few times. Right now, three of my fingers are sore, and I have about 3-4mm of finger sticking out past the end of my nails. For whatever reason (not sure why this time), I'm back to biting them really badly.

Why is it a health issue?

[eepster]

Originally Posted by Storm Bride

Why is it a health issue?

I'm worried the open wounds he's making will get infected. He is biting them far enough past the quick that they are bleeding.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by eepster

I'm worried the open wounds he's making will get infected. He is biting them far enough past the quick that they are bleeding.

I never even thought of that.

I don't know if it helps any, but I've had bleeding fingers for probably about 5 years of my life, if I added it all up - maybe more (three spots with torn skin right now). I've never had one get infected.

[TiredX2]

Originally Posted by eepster

I'm worried the open wounds he's making will get infected. He is biting them far enough past the quick that they are bleeding.

I think you are right to be concerned. BIL always bit his toenails and often got infections (and ingrown nails).

Unfortunately, no advice. Does DS have any desire to stop?

[Doodlebugsmom]

My ds has been doing the same thing. Of course, I pick my cuticles like mad and seeing me do that doesn't help him. However, a week ago I bought him some silly putty to play with if he's just watching TV or not otherwise using his hands. I don't think he has bitten them since.

[gingerbane]

IME Saying anything will not help - it will only turn it more toward a control issue.

I'm not as old as storm bride but I've been biting my nails for the past 26 years and I HATE it when people tell me to stop. If I want to stop, I will.

[Red Pajama]

Both of my boys bite their nails, and started after my youngest was born. I do not know if it was caused by stress after her birth or they not liking it when I trimmed their nails. One has attacked his toenails, to the point of soreness and bleeding.

I make (as best as I can) the one who bites his toenails wear socks. I put band-aids on any nails that are super short and sore. I've started to encourage a rule of "no fingers in face (nose, eyes, mouth) when in public" , and I try to encourage the same when we're reading stories.

Both still keep their fingernails very short, but not bleeding.

[tanyalynn]

When DD bites her nails, she needs more zinc. I thought it was just a habit, or the last remaining aspect of her putting stuff in her mouth (she was quite the mouther when she was little, freaked out our daycare provider because it was more than she'd ever seen before), but I finally figured out that for DD, it's zinc.

I don't know how to discuss dosing--DD is getting a really high amount, it would be bad for most kids, but lower amounts (which would still be excessive for most kids) didn't touch it, and it took trial-and-error to figure out how much she needed.

[tanyalynn]

duplicate post

[moaningminny]

I'm 33 years old, and also a nail biter - have been since I was a wee one.

Obviously I have no advice for you!

[sleepingbeauty]

I bit my nails up until I was 17/18 years old. My mother tried everything to stop me. She smacked my hands, painted that stuff on my nails that tastes like crap...everything. I didn't stop until *I* wanted to. I put rubber bands round my wrists and I snapped them whenever I started biting.

Willow bites her nails too. I file them down really short so they are long enough to be safe but not long enough to bite on.

I hope you have an easier time than my mom did. Good luck!

[Caneel]

We are also dealing with out of control nail biting. It comes and goes in waves. Right now DS has his toe nails in a dreadful mess. He bit the big toe nails down to the quick and then chewed the surrounding skin raw.

It drives me crazy. I worry about infection and ingrow nails.

The other day he asked me why I don't put my toes in my mouth! Well, little kid, I have lost that flexibility years ago!

[zebra15]

Ive done it for the better part of 36 years and DS is doing it now. Its not a battle you can fight. i was grounded for bitting my nails etc (it didnt work, just made me want to do it more). I just make sure I wash my hands and DS washes his hands really well 3-4x a day. I think I've had an infected finger a couple times and I'm not sure if that was from biting my nails or something else. I've even tried having my nails' done' with acrylic etc and I bite those off too.

So dont bother your DS...

[Zoesmama]

I'm dealing with this battle. I first noticed her "habit" when she was 3. I know she learned from me. I stopped after a good 20 years of doing it pretty much cold turkey at that point but seems it didn't really help since she is almost 7 and still bites her nails.

I'm going to try the same trick I used. I will get out my nail file/buffer and keep her nails pretty and shiny or painted. Keep them filed and short for awhile. She is biting them off so it may help.

[Storm Bride]

Originally Posted by Zoesmama

I'm dealing with this battle. I first noticed her "habit" when she was 3. I know she learned from me.

You can't really assume that, you know. I can't think of anyone else in my family who bites their nails, but I still picked up the habit.