Tuesday 22 March 2016

Nail biting 
Children who are impatient or easily bored are more likely to get engaged in repetitive body- focussed behaviour like nail biting, skin picking or eye lash pulling. 
Few children start it with problem in school (probably a new lesson in nursery) or problem with friend or in separational anxiety. 
Or few kids do it out of shyness to join a school activity, party or game. Sometimes it could be part of psychiatric disease.
Treatment is never scolding or punishment. Nagging can only reinforce the habit.
Treatment is to try to find out the cause of nervousness, and proper reassurance .
Often the child has fear of teacher or classmate, my simple suggestion is call for friendship. I ask the child to give a pen set to the teacher or colors to classmate as it makes child confident.
2. Manicure, keep nails beautified, trimmed and polished so that child would not like to spoil them himself.
3. Habit reversing behavior like a child should be engaged in enjoyable activity where hand movements are required.
E.g. coloring figures and painting.
I never like the idea of putting some bitter gum over fingers.
Humans can be treated best with empathy and love. Isn't it so??

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