2-year-old and nail biting

[capsgirl08]

I have never been into biting my nails, and I have no idea how to stop my toddler from continuing. He is still nursing, but we are in the process of cutting back since I am nearly 5 months pregnant, and I think he has picked up the nail biting as a form of comfort.

Does anyone have experience with this? I never knew nail biting could start so very early. Any ideas or tips on how to redirect would be great. DS gets very, very upset and cries/melts down even if I gently suggest he not bite them, or if I pull his finger out of his mouth.

[ellemenope]

OMG yes. I have a nail biter. I never have to trim her nails. Never. This has been going on for a long time now. She is 2.25. I don't do it. DH does.

I am constantly asking her what she is chewing on. "Just a fingernail." One time an uncle found this small clear bead that had been broken in half in her mouth. I said, "DD why did you put that in your mouth?" She said, "I thought it was a fingernail."

[capsgirl08]

Yes, I know what you mean...I am startled when I take out the thing DS is chewing on, and realize it's a huge piece of fingernail! I am also concerned about picking up germs, infections, etc.

I should have done this first, but after I posted this thread, I searched for other posts, and read that nail biting could be a sign of zinc or iron deficiency. Does anyone else have any other info on this?

DS has severe food allergies to dairy, egg, peanuts and tree nuts and while I am usually on top of finding other sources of calcium, etc., my in-laws recently had me worried that he is deficient...He also has lots of other food sensitivities, so I would not be surprised if it's all tied together, along with my pregnancy, cutting back on nursing, etc. I'm also back on gluten, and while he doesn't have IgE allergies to gluten, I wonder if that's triggering a sort of anxious feeling that could spark the nail biting...just random thoughts here...

Anyway, thanks for the support and commiserating. I hope we can find solutions soon!

[ellemenope]

Ugh, I did not want to hear that. But, it makes sense.

And, you probably don't want to hear that I would not be surprised if DD is deficient in something. She eats horrible. We do do vitamins, though. She was borderline iron deficient at her one year appt. I was incredibly iron deficient during her pregnancy. At one point my hematocrit was 17.

[CinCanada]

Originally Posted by capsgirl08

I should have done this first, but after I posted this thread, I searched for other posts, and read that nail biting could be a sign of zinc or iron deficiency. Does anyone else have any other info on this?

Very interesting. DD 25 mos has just started nail biting & I'd never thought of a dietary reason for it. She seems to do it kind of absentmindedly & I notice it most when she's in the car staring out the window or the rare times she watches tv. I too am pregnant & have been slowly cutting back a bit on nursing but I had just automatically asumed that she had just found a jagged piece of nail & had just figured out that she could bite the pieces off on her own. As I notice her doing it more often though I have to wonder if it's more than that.
Anyone know what the symptoms for iron defficiency would be in a toddler? My iron is very low & I'm often exhausted (between that & the first trimester) but she certainly doesn't fit that description.

[poorlittlefish]

My 2yo also bites her nails. I never though of a vitamin deficiency and honestly, I am dubious. She eats decent and she gets a high quality supplement. I was mostly worried that it meant she was stressed about something!!