Toddler Biting Nails | How to Stop Nail Biting in Toddlers and What to do About it?

Nail Biting is one of the most common habits in toddlers. It is mostly not a serious problem for most children. Many children stop this habit on their own, over time. But for some people, it will carry along with their growth. Nearly 50% of children in age 10-18 bite their nails. We all know that nail-biting is considered a bad habit and as parents, we need to do our best for our kids.

So if you notice your kiddo's fingers keep going to their mouth, here in this article, we are going to help you how to stop your kid from biting nails. To know more about parenting, why not check out our website Onlinestemdegrees.Com

• Reasons for Nail Biting In Kids
• Is Nail Biting Dangerous for Toddlers?
• How to Stop a Toddler from Biting their Nails
• Is it normal for a 2-year kid to bite their nails?
• Why does my toddler keep biting nails?
• How to stop my toddler from biting nails?

Reasons for Nail Biting In Kids

The first thing to know for every parent is why your kids are biting their nails? When you are looking for the solution to a problem you should also know the main cause of that problem. So that it will be easy to stop that problem. Nail-biting is a most common habit for most kids, not only your child. Some research shows that nail-biting may have genetic factors. While your child is growing up they start biting their nails because of some pressures or tensions that we don't be aware of. Below are some of the reasons that your child biting nails. You need to figure out what is the reason and keep them engaged in some other work.

1. Boredom A bored child will start biting their nails as they do not have any work to do. Nail-biting can also be seen when their hands are free, during watching TV, or attending a class.

2. Feeling Anxiety and Stress Kids start biting their nails when they feel anxiety and stress. Maybe the situations at home or school can cause stress triggers in nail-biting. Some of the stressful situations like joining a new school, punishment, loss of a family member, fights between friends or family members, pressure to perform well in class, or any other.

3. Relaxant Some kids suck their thumb to fall asleep, while some kids bite their nails. Nail-biting is a modified form of thumb sucking that will develop as your kid grow.

4. Genetics from parents For some kids, nail-biting may be a genetic issue as that habit gets passed on to your children through your genes. If you have a habit of biting nails when you are a kid, there is a chance of your children may bite their nails too.

Is Nail Biting Dangerous for Toddlers?

Toddlers biting nails is not a serious problem but sometimes it may cause some complications like bleeding that can hurt their fingers and sometimes they can cause infectious diseases as they keep their hands in many places and keep their hands directly into their mouth. And some children who bite their nails can cause permanent nail damage. Severe nail-biting is a sign of underlying attention and stress problems. When your child understands their own as biting nails is a bad habit then it is the half solution to stop the habit.

How to Stop a Toddler from Biting their Nails?

While there is no specific surefire to stop your kid from biting their nails there are some strategies and treatments that will help them to keep their nails away from their mouths. Never punish your child for their bad habit but try to sit and talk with them and tell them the disadvantages of that habit. Below are some of the suggestions that you can try on how to stop nail biting in child.

Know Anxieties of your Kid When you notice that your child is biting their nails when he is stressed or anxious about school work, moving to a new place, or conflicts between parents. Sit with them and try to talk with them when they are in the right mood and give them support and tell them that for any problem in their life you will be there with him/her.

Keep them Engaged If your child notices that it is a bad habit, then only they will stop biting their nails unless you cannot stop them. Mostly children unknowingly bite their nails due to many reasons. Punishing them or scolding them is not a good strategy. More than doing that keep them engaged with other activities like drawing, playing, and squeezing a stress ball.

Trim Their Nails Regularly Your kid cannot bite what isn't there. So keeps your child's nails well-trimmed regularly. This will not only stop your kid from biting nails it will also keep them away from bacteria and dirt caught under the nails.

Make a Code Together you can make a secret code to remind them not to bite when they are biting nails. For example, tap your nose, and tell a catchphrase from a favorite tv show. This trick can make them feel fun.

Use Bitter Taste Trick Outside, there are many child-safe liquids available in medical stores to stop your child from biting nails. You may also ask your pediatrician to suggest the liquid. Apply it to your kid's fingers when they are in sleep. So when they gnaw their nails in their mouth they feel a bitter taste and it will slowly stop them from biting their nails.

Give them Rewards Offer your child a star, or a small prize for each day if they do not bite their nails for the whole day. Children naturally turn to please their parents and grab attention from them. Therefore, praising them for not biting nails feel them like they achieved something great.

Help them to Know About the Habit Habits like nail biting are mostly unconscious. Talk to your child about the disadvantages of biting nails and tell them that is a bad habit. Using a code to stop their nail-biting is the best way to stop biting their nails and your kid will not feel embarrassed while they are in the crowd.

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FAQs on Toddler Biting Nails

Conclusion

Hope the information that you are searching for on Toddlers Biting Nails got some solution for you. Don't get too panicked about the issue as this is common in most children. Still, if you have any doubts you can comment to us in the comment section. Stay connected with our website Onlinestemdegrees.Com for more parenting articles.