Sheetal Dewan How to stop nail biting/Thumb Sucking:
- Under such circumstances we can distract the attention of the child by making the child do some exciting activities.
- Children learn by observing and understanding and not by listening or lecturing. As an alternative of saying “Don’t put your fingers in your mouth!” Sensitize and make your children aware of the effects and consequences of the habit.(books or help from the internet can be taken)
- When you find your child engrossed in nail biting try to divert his focus and involve him/her in various activities where hand get busy.
- Calmly point out what you don’t like about your child’s nail biting.
- Identify and remove the causes of anxiety responsible for the origin of the habit.
- Sometimes it may continue as a habit due to boredom. Occupy the child in interesting activity.
- Clearly state the substitute behavior you want. For example when you catch your child in nail biting, Try saying -“Lets wiggle our fingers” .This will increase your child’s awareness of the habit and will serve as a reminder. So eventually when the child would feel of nail biting this activity would displace the former one.
- Encourage the child to admire beautiful nails.
- Instead of scolding or asking him/her to refrain from the activity explain the underlying reason for the rule.
- Avoid scolding/punishing/shaming/ridiculing or application of chilly.
- Reward when the child displays self control and does not nail bite
- For younger children narrating short stories related to health and hygiene and consequences of nail biting can also be narrated.
- Use a bandage as it serves as a reminder.
In a nutshell
Nail biting is mainly associated with anxiety as the act of nail biting relieves stress, tension and boredom. Eventually it becomes a habit.
Parents must figure out what triggers the child to nail bite or what is the underlying emotion that the child finds a vent in this habit. It is not the habit that disturbs the nail biter but it is the stress that disturbs the nail biter and it becomes a habit.
However if your efforts or strategies does not work, consultation with a mental health practitioner is a good idea.
