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Children often bite their nails – for them it is a way to calm down, relieve stress. There are plenty of reasons for anxiety in a child – we adults are often unaware of them or underestimate the extent of their impact.
“I tried everything with my daughter – scolded, slapped her fingers, promised her a beautiful ring as soon as she finally had “princess fingers”. We even tried bitter-tasting nail polish, but it didn’t help. Why does she bite her nails and how to wean her from this mechanical habit? ”Valeria, 41 years old
Pediatrician, Head of the Department of Pediatrics at the Fontainebleau Clinic (France) Pierre Douillet:
“This is fine. To calm down, children often bite their nails, bite burrs, suck their thumbs, rock back and forth (infants), or touch their hair. First of all, it is important to understand why the child is so encouraging, soothing himself. After all, not only we, adults, are subject to stress, but also our children, including the smallest ones.
They have plenty of reasons for concern – adults are often unaware of them or underestimate the extent of their impact. Children are afraid of getting sick or losing their parents; they are afraid of boredom, they are afraid to go to school, they are afraid that no one will want to be friends with them. Another source of stress is the approach of the New Year, the expectation of moving to a new apartment, and of course, the birth of a younger brother or sister.
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Perhaps the nature and temperament of your child is such that such stress for him can cause him despair, a sense of disaster. If the nails are bitten into blood, and the child does not stroke the hair, but pulls it out, then the anxiety has reached its peak and it is necessary to resort to the advice of a specialist. Sometimes a few sessions with a psychologist are enough to eliminate it. If the matter has not yet reached such a serious stage, you can occasionally remind your daughter that you should not harm yourself and it is important to take care of your hygiene. In general, try not to focus too much attention on her nails or you risk giving her another reason to stress.
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It is better to pay more attention to her well-being, talk heart to heart to help express anxiety, teach her how to cope with anxiety. Consider also whether your child unconsciously responds to your own anxieties and adult problems, and if so, to what extent? Try to soften a little your requirements for him in all areas: education (are you not too strict?), school and extracurricular activities. It is very important that the daughter has enough time to daydream and relieve stress. ”