Hello everyone, I am the father of psychiatrist Zi Chen~
It is no exaggeration to say that every child has had the experience of biting his nails. In the opinion of many parents, it is very common for children to bite their nails and does not require intervention at all. It will get better when the child grows up.
As everyone knows, this wait can last for more than ten years, or even decades, and many parents cannot accept the consequences of waiting.
Children who like to "bite their nails" since childhood can't escape 4 endings when they grow up. Parents, please don't care.
Many parents think that biting nails is a very common behavior for their children. There is no need to worry about it. The children will not grow up when they grow up. Bite, is that really the case? I have received many comments from netizens. They all said that they or people around them still have the habit of biting their nails when they grow up, including teenagers, thirties, and even those in their fifties.
When I was looking up information, I saw that a 20-year-old female college student in Australia, Konnie, had a habit of biting her nails all year round, so her nails became black and thin, but she and her parents didn't think so. meaning. It wasn't until she went to the doctor later that she discovered that she had skin cancer and had to have her limbs amputated to survive.
Therefore, it is a very serious matter for children to like to bite their nails. A large amount of data shows that those children who like to "bite their nails" since childhood will not be able to escape 4 endings when they grow up. Parents, don't worry.
1. It hinders the development of children's teeth and affects their appearance.
When children bite their nails, their cheeks tighten. The originally normal arc of the dental arch will be squeezed into a pointed shape, causing the upper jaw to arch. This not only affects the development of children's teeth, gums, and mandibles, but can also easily lead to protruding mandibles, uneven teeth, and hinder chewing...
Moreover, if children often bite their nails, their fingers will press against them for a long time. In the upper front teeth, it will cause the upper front teeth to protrude outward, forming buck teeth . The upper and lower teeth cannot bite together normally, which greatly reduces the "appearance" of the child.
2. Leading to oral and intestinal bacterial infections in children.
Data show that 1 grams of nail scale contains about 4 billion bacteria and molds, as well as pathogenic microorganisms parasite eggs. If a child bites his or her nails frequently, it is very easy for the disease to spread through the mouth. This will lead to bacterial infection in the child's mouth and intestines, causing the child to often go to the hospital. The child will suffer, and the parents will suffer.
3. Nails may grow into the flesh, and even paronychia may cause unbearable pain.
The father of a neighbor’s child, who is in his 30s, likes to bite his nails. After chewing his fingers, he will bite his toes. Sometimes, he will bite all the nails. The blood is bleeding, and the wife’s threats of divorce will not work. Later, I went to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor said that biting my nails caused severe paronychia. Because it was not treated in time, pus had accumulated under the nail bed. In the end, I had to pull out the nails to remove the pus and get better and cured after anti-inflammatory treatment.
Fortunately, his children did not learn this bad habit, otherwise the outcome can be imagined.
4. Impact on mental health
When children bite their nails, most of the time they will always be criticized and reprimanded by their parents . However, if the child does not bite his nails and cannot control himself, he will bite them unknowingly.
Although children know that their behavior is wrong, but cannot control it, they will have feelings of guilt, self-blame, guilt, lack of confidence and other emotions, which will affect the child's mental health.
What is the reason why children like to bite their nails?
In my daily work, I found that parents have two major misunderstandings about their children's nail biting:
- Misunderstanding 1 : My child always bites the nails of his index finger and middle finger. Is it because his body lacks some element?
- Misunderstanding 2 : My child must have itchy fingers. She always likes to bite her nails.
I specifically consulted a pediatrician. The doctor said that he has come across many children who like to bite their nails, but they are neither deficient in various trace elements (including zinc, iron, calcium), nor have eczema or skin allergies. Doctors concluded that the causes of nail biting in children can be roughly divided into two types .
1. It is normal for children under 2 years old to bite their nails.
After babies are born for 3 to 4 months, they have a physiological need to suck. They suck their fingers and bite their nails to calm themselves. This behavior often occurs when they are hungry and before going to bed. . This period is the sensitive period for children's hands and mouth. They recognize their hands and nails through their mouths. This behavior usually disappears after the age of two.
2. Nail biting in children over 2 years old requires early intervention.
For children before 2 years old, eating hands and biting nails are instinctive and a way of self-soothing. We do not need to stop them. However, if a child continues to bite his nails frequently after the age of 2, the American Academy of Pediatrics believes that intervention is needed, otherwise it may affect the teeth.
Children at this stage bite their nails for the following 5 main reasons: Psychological unsatisfaction and stress, fear and anxiety; Not getting enough love from parents, feeling lonely; Changes in the pace of life , children tend to be nervous when entering day care or school ; when children are sick ; children who are introverted, sensitive, and anxious .
How to correct the bad habit of biting nails in children?
Seeing this, I believe parents already know that children who like to bite their nails will bring great harm to their children. So, how to correct the bad habit of biting nails in children?
1. Do not scold, do not ridicule, do not ridicule, guide patiently.
Psychologists believe that if a baby bites his nails, if he is strongly reminded (such as being beaten, scolded, ridiculed, or sarcastic by his parents), this behavior will be retained. It even got worse and worse, and it was still difficult to control until I grew up.
If a child bites his nails during leisure time, when he is nervous and anxious, or when sleeping, parents must pay attention and patiently help their children correct this behavior.
2. Distract children's attention by telling stories and playing games with them.
Children's nail-biting behavior cannot be controlled by themselves. Parents can distract their children's attention by telling stories and playing games with their children. Shift the child's attention from "biting nails" to "telling stories and playing games."
3. For older children, you can try behavioral therapy
Parents can develop a reward plan. For example, when they find their children biting their nails, they can promptly remind them so that they can learn self-control. If the child does it, the parents should reward the child. Prizes can be designated by the children themselves, or parents can choose toys that the children are interested in.
If the child does not bite his nails for a period of time, parents should continue to reward them for a period of time until the child completely quits.
Conclusion
If parents have used many methods, but the results have not been satisfactory, they must take their children to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible. The doctor will design a behavioral treatment plan according to the specific situation of the child, and the parents will assist in the implementation and provide support. Psychosexual therapy.
Some pictures come from the Internet.
holds a nurse certificate and a national third-level psychological counselor certificate. He focuses on baby care and children's education, and shares modern scientific parenting knowledge and experience with everyone every day.
