Use over-the-counter products, such as bitter-tasting compounds, which can be placed on the fingers or cuticles to remind the child when he or she begins to bite nails or suck on a thumb.Say something to the child like, “I don’t like it when you bite your nails.
This approach, suggested by, can be used with children as young as 3 or 4 years old to help increase their awareness of the habit. Calmly point out what you don’t like about the habit and why.When the child has 10 stickers, give the child a little reward. Make a behavior chart or star chart and give the child a sticker when she doesn’t engage in the bad habit or stops doing it.“You can say, ‘ Oh, I am noticing you are doing this, so it’s time to get your mittens.’” “Catch them being good,” and say that you noticed, Taylor recommends. When you notice that your child has not been doing the bad habit for a while, reward him or her.Give the child some Legos or Play-Doh to play with or put on special mittens at this time, she says.
#BREAKING HABITS OF HAIR CHEWING FREE#
This can also help keep nails free of splits and hangnails that can trigger the urge to bite. If the child is doing the bad habit while relaxing, such as while watching television, keep his or her hands busy. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) offers these tips to help break a nail biting habit: Practice good nail hygiene: Keep your nails trimmed short to reduce the amount of nail available to bite. You can break the habit with hypnosis for nail biting Relax quicker and deeper every time you listen Really enjoy getting into a state of hypnotic relaxation. If the child starts biting his or her nails in the car, let him or her bring a toy or a stress ball in the car for a distraction and keep his or her hands busy, she says. Have the child repeat, “I can do this!” Let him or her take a short break during homework time to help keep calm. Try relaxation techniques like deep breathing before the child starts homework, or engage the child in positive self-talk. If the child is chewing on her hair or biting his nails during stressful times, talk to your child and ask what is bothering him or her, suggests Taylor. “It’s a behavior that they really can’t help,” she says.
Bad habits might not seem serious but nail biting and cuticle picking can lead to ugly nails or bleeding cuticles, and excessive hair twirling can lead to hair loss, according to Taylor.īefore accepting that your child will endure a lifetime of baldness and bad manicures, know that even the worst habits can be corrected.įirst off, punishment usually doesn’t work, says Taylor. Mery Taylor, a child and adolescent psychologist at CHOC Children’s Hospital of Orange County. In many cases, as children mature and develop greater self-control over their behavior, bad habits will stop, most often by age 8, says the AAP.įor the most part, people act on habits with little awareness or consciousness, according to Dr. What child doesn’t have a bad habit that drives parents crazy?Īccording to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the causes of annoying habits like these are unknown, but their repetitive nature suggests that they serve a soothing or calming process for the person doing them.
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