Although it is not exclusive to children, nail eating is a bad habit that extends especially in childhood, and that in some cases it can affect health. Therefore, it is important that parents try to find out the cause, to eradicate it as soon as possible.
Today we talk about the childhood onychophagy, the reasons that can lead the child to suffer from this compulsive disorder and how we can help our child to stop biting his nails.
One of the most frequent OCDs in childhood
It is estimated that onychophagy starts between three and six years old, and although in many occasions this bad habit is temporary or even limited to very specific moments, in other cases it persists over time or worsens, to the point of causing associated medical problems.
In these cases we would be talking about an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which, together with trichotillomania, is one of the most frequent in childhood, and especially in adolescence.
Why does my son bite his nails?
There are many causes that can lead the child to bite his nails, although in most cases it is due to a situation of stress or anxiety; that is, the child is worried or nervous about something.
On other occasions you could also do it out of simple boredom, in times of tiredness or in situations where you cannot overcome frustration.
In Babies and more Not identifying the high capacities in time could cause emotional imbalances and somatization in the child. If we discover that our child bites his nails, it is recommended to try to find the reason and avoid exposure to it, although it is not always easy, because Sometimes not even the child knows how to explain the cause.What consequences does onychophagy have?
Depending on the severity of the problem, biting your nails and surrounding skin may end up leading to:
Skin wounds (stepparents) and cuticles. These wounds bleed, are painful and take a long time to heal.
It may happen that wounds become infected and need treatment.
Ingrown toenails.
Children who bite their hands are more prone to viral warts.
In Babies and more Four important consequences of children biting their nails, and what to do to stop them from doing soBeing continuously with fingers in their mouths, they are also more likely to have worms, since the eggs of this parasite tend to deposit under the nails When the child plays with the earth.
Oral problems, such as malocclusions, bad teeth, or even interference with the normal growth of the orofacial muscultarua.
Sometimes, fingers can become deformed.
Aesthetic problems that may affect your social relationships.
What to do to quit?
Involve the child in this problem, explaining why it is bad to bite the nails and the complications that could result. It's about that the child be aware of this bad habit, and know that he has you by his side to try to solve it together.
When you discover that you are biting your nails, let him see if he has not noticed. But never scold or punish him, because that will raise his anxiety level and will not help solve the problem.
If you are in front of more people you can agree on a keyword to alert from this moment and that only you understand. In this way, the child will not feel overwhelmed by the pressure of the environment, nor will the onychophagy become the center of the conversation.
In Babies and more Anxiety, depression and other psychological problems in childhood: when children go to therapyWhen the child is biting his nails, he diverts his attention by asking him to put his hands in his pockets or giving him an object to hold in his hands. That is to say, offer alternatives to keep your hands busy.
Report the problem to the child's closest environment so that they can help you with these same guidelines when your child is not under your supervision (for example, at school, at family home, with friends ...).
As far as possible, try to improve the appearance of the child's hands: trimming stepfathers, matching the length of the nails, removing the cuticle, continuously moisturizing the hands ...
This will not only reduce the chance of infections, but will have a positive impact on the child's self-esteem, especially if the problem causes him embarrassment.
- And although it does not always work, we can also help certain products sold in pharmacies that are applied on the nails, as long as the child is willing to use them. East enamel has a bitter taste and as the child dislikes, he ends up avoiding putting his fingers in his mouth.
Little by little, with our persistence and awareness, our son will no longer need us when looking for alternatives to avoid biting his nails, and the problem will be solved. In any case, be sure to check with the pediatrician or a child psychologist if something worries you or the problem persists.
Photos | iStock
