Is nail biting common?
Nail biting is a common habit. It is usually not a serious
problem for children. It becomes most common in adolescence
when almost half of all children bite their nails to some
degree.
What problems are caused by biting the fingernails?
Most children that bite their nails have no problems. In
some cases, nail biting may cause:
Why does my child bite his nails?
Some of the reasons children bite their nails include:
How can I help my child stop?
Treatment should address the reason why your child is biting
his nails. If your child is under a lot of stress, try to
reduce the stress. For example, try to figure out what
stressful situations seem to cause your child to bite his
nails (such as being bored, watching a suspenseful TV show,
or getting frustrated with homework) and try to avoid those
situations.
Cutting long nails helps some children. Nails can also be
smoothed so that they do not bother your child. Direct your
child's attention away from nail biting and try to help your
child feel good about himself.
Punishing or shaming a child for nail biting is not helpful.
If you have an older child that wants to stop nail biting,
you can help your child make a plan to break the habit. You
can help your child find something to put on his fingers to
remind him to stop nail biting. For example, your child may
want to try wearing a pair of gloves, putting Band-Aids on
the fingers, or applying a bitter-tasting preparation to the
fingers. You should not require your child to use any of
these strategies. It should be your child's decision to
work on breaking the habit.
Will my child outgrow the habit?
Most nail biters eventually stop the habit. It is difficult
to say when children will stop biting their nails. More
than 75% of those who bite their nails as adolescents will
stop by the time they are 35 years of age.
When should I call the doctor?
Call your doctor for more advice about habit behaviors.
