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nail bitting, picking, and finger sucking!?!?

Sonya - posted on 10/22/2009 ( 2 moms have responded )

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My 5 year old bites her nails and she also picks at anything and everything from scabs to bites so they take forever to heal. I feel like i have tried everything from praising when she doesn't do it to punishing when she does do it. I am not sure what else to try, any ideas??



My 3 year old still sucks her pointer and middle finger. I have tried the liquid aid that makes their fingers taste gross, I have tried just talking to her and telling her how big she is and why big girls don't suck their fingers. Both seemed to work for a day or so and then she just went right back to sucking. She just sucks until the nasty taste is gone like it doesn't even phase her and she would rather suck her fingers then recieve praise. Will she ever grow out of this? Any other ideas or advice? Thanks!!!

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Sonya - posted on 10/23/2009

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Thank you Vinesa! I have also tried tellling my nail picker that if she doesn't bite or pick I will paint her nails and it doesn't work for her! She is so stubborn, my gosh. If I find anything that works with her I will let you know for sure!! I will try the Alum with my youngest and keep you posted!

Vinesa - posted on 10/23/2009

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My daughter is 7 and she still picks if she gets bug bites and makes them worse and she bites he nails as well. I haven't had the sucking on fingers except maybe for about a week when she first started to go to preschool, but my daughter likes to bite things such as erasers and the metal part of the pencil off, but doesn't eat them.



There are many things that I have tried in the past that may work for you. With the sucking of the fingers I used a spice called Alum. It is used in pickling so it has a very bitter taste with just a small amount and is not toxic in anyway to your child. The biting of the nails is a never ending battle between my daughter and I. Sometimes I can get her to go a week or 2 without biting by telling her that I will paint her nails biut only if she grows them out long and pretty, but she always seems to go back to it off and on.



And the picking thing is a hard one as well. Bandaids help to a degree, but sometimes they don't at all. I just try to keep it cleaned and put antibiotic on it when ever possible. I tell her all the time that she shouldn't do it and how bad it is making her skin hurt, but I haven't found a solution except her not getting bites to begin with. :) I hope that at least the Alum trick will work for you. Good luck and let me know if you find anything that helps with the nail biting and picking.

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