Nail Biting Help

My husband is a nail biter and our daughter started when she was in pre-k. I hated it, so we bought a product at Walmart called "stop the bite" and painted it on their nails. My daughter made a deal with her dad to see who could stop first....of course she did! He is still a nail biter, and occasionally we paint his nails with the stuff while he is sleeping! She stopped right away though, the stuff even stays on through several hand washings during the day. I tried it on my pinky, and I am a compulsive hand washer...so through out the day I would check my pinky to see if it was still awful tasting and it was...so I knew that my daughter's fingers were still icky at pre-k!
Also.....I have pointed out to them numerous times that even though my daughter is in school all day now (2nd grade now)....that she is rarely sick, and he is sick all of the time! See if you can find some pictures on the Internet of what germs from fingers and nails look like under a microscope....maybe that will gross her out and make her stop! We were just in a wedding, and my daughter was very proud to be the only one of 8 little girls that didn't have stubby dirty little chewed up nails at the pre wedding spa party! We keep nail brushes at all of the sinks and in her tub, so she keeps them nice and clean too! Good luck!

As a teacher and also a parent of a child who puts things in his mouth, some kids need oral stimulation to help them focus and basically to keep their "engines" in check. (I'm referring to their internal feeling of balance or feeling of being ok). Basically it's a self-regulating or self-soothing technique that she has come up with to help her feel at ease with herself - everyone has one or two that they automatically do and usually don't realize they are doing it. She is probably not aware that she is doing it until you point it out to her.
My child has to have something in his mouth at all times, unless he is really focused on an activity. I give him sugar free gum to keep his hands out of his mouth (this is the "prescription" that his occupational therapist has given him to help keep him regulated).
A stress ball may help her and not it's not necessarily a crutch that will cause issues, but if she needs oral stimulation like my son, it may end up in her mouth. Another good technique I've seen used in schools is to give them a straw tied in a knot to chew on, it allows for the same oral stimulation as gum or fingers, but keeps dirty hands out of mouths and if you are opposed to gum, it may be a good alternative. There are companies out there (can't think of the names right now) that actually make "chewies" for kids who need oral stimulation. Google occupational therapy catalogs and you will find them.
Just remember it is an automatic response that fulfills a need that she has and it is not necessarily a bad thing, but putting dirty hands into mouths is not a good idea.

It could be stress. If it possible try to change something (transfer to the other class, change routine...). It could be very difficult to find the reason. In my case it takes several months and then it was stopped after 1 week in group with another teacher. One of the option,tell her that you will allowed to use clear nail polish if her nails will look OK for several days.Good luck!

Would she wear a bracelet? A pretty bracelet on her wrist that would remind her not to bite her nails. Maybe talk to the school's counselor or a therapist or pediatrician on recommendations. It seems like it could be a habit or maybe she has anxiety when she isn't preoccupied. I was going to say Spiffies gum but I don't know how the teachers feel about gum and gum may not be a habit to start lol.

Sorry can't help, I'm 35 and still bite my nails.