Any suggestion on how to get my 4 year old son to stop biting his nails?

Carole - posted on 03/09/2009

our 2yr 10 month old is an AVID nail biter...(I have been a nail biter since i was his age...) and we have tried everything. He likes hot sauce. I spoke to our pediatrician about it becasue I hate the way my nails have looked and do not want him in the same boat...she suggested Mavala Stop which i immediately purchased...online. It tastes like $#^!. I have stopped biting my nails with it (and nobody can believe that feat) BUT he has not, the taste is not a deterant. I believe like a previous post, it is a stress reliever...it has always been for me, i also bit my nails when nervous, too...I am waiting for my youngest to grow out of it. In the mean time we have "take care of our hands and nails" time a couple times a week. hope this helps.

Kristie - posted on 03/09/2009

There is a clear polish that is very sour that helps aid in breaking the habbit you can find it at most drug stores ... the only thing I cna think of with the hot sauce is that it burns if he has a cut or scrape which most boys do .... you can also wrap them for a few weeksw with either gloves or med. tape. It just takes a little while to break the habbit, I have been a nail mbitter my whole life and wish someone would have done something when I was little, not only is it gross but being a woman its ugly.

You could also talk to him and find out if there is something bothering him, is he a nervous kid, is there something going on with daycare aa change in his life? It can be something as simple as something he seen on TV that woul,d be n0othing to us but can cause kids to worry. My son seen a life insurance commercial and was stressed out for days before he told me, he was worried about the kids in the commercial living without their grandpa.. He thought they were a realo family... So it can be something we take for granit I had to explain to him they were actors and the man didnt really die... It was very sweet and sad in the same moment

Hope I helped a bit ..

Kathryn - posted on 02/27/2009

Biting nails is just a stress reliever.  My, now 11 year old, son used to bite his nails around that same age.  I found out he was having nightmares.  When he woke up we would talk about his dreams and try and figure out ways that he could have made them funny (ie. spiders stepping in glue and getting stuck or wearing roller skates, etc).  I also put vinegar on his fingers.  The smell would keep him from even getting them near his nose (mouth). :o)

Susan - posted on 02/24/2009

Hot Sauce.  My 4 year old was not biting his nails but sticking his fingers in his mouth.  I threatened hot sauce!  Frank's Red Hot!  I never actually did it but just a week of threats seemed to work.  Because of the serious unsanitary nature I was prepared to open the bottle.  Get that under the finger nails and that'll burn the tongue a little and make and impression.