Seeking Advice on Nail Biting!

I also have a child with sensory problems. He has only recently stopped biting his nails. In the past, he has made himself bleed ... which then sets off a different sensory episode ......
According to our Occupational Therapist, he was seeking oral stimulation. Chewing gum is a good alternative (you have to choose sugar or or artificial sweeteners ..(both evil in their own ways). Another idea was to provide food or medical grade tubing for him to chew on. Example - IV tubing or straws that come with some "sippy cups".

My son also hated clippers. When he was four he discovered that a plastic rhinocerous gave him the courage to withstand getting his toenails clipped (he never needed his fingernails clipped since he chewed them ..). He would hold the rhino and let it growl and snort at me while I clipped ... Maybe you can find something to help your daughter find courage for the time of clipping ... or if it is only the sound that bothers her, let her try listening to music on headphones while you clip or file.

There is a lot of information on sensory processing disorders on the web now. And a publication called S.I. Focus. This might be of interest to you at home and professionally!

Good luck.
GLerner

I am 41 years old and have been biting my nails to the quick and sometimes beyond for as far back as I can remember which I think was the age of 4. My parents tried everything from the bitter polish to tobasco sauce to the green chili pepper sauce you put on foods. Nothing has helped and I think it has to do with low esteem and nerves. It seemed like anything that made me the slightest bit nervous then Here I go to Town on my nails. Even when I feel rough spots on my nails then I bite them. The only thing that keeps me from biting is having artificial nails put on and then I keep going back to keep them fresh and I leave them alone.

I hope this helps a little bit.

Hugs from Hohenfels, Germany

Hi I have a two year old who sucks her thumb constantly I used Mavala Stop for nail biting and thumb sucking It has a very bitter taste and it doesn't wear off My daughter wouldn't suck her thumb when she had the polish on Hope this helps!

If you use the bitter nail polish make sure you paint her nails when she is fast asleep and will not wake up. Letting her know why her nails taste so bad only worsens things. Trust me I've used it on both kids and did not let the younger one know and he stopped a lot quicker and the older one had this stigma about his nails being painted when he was a boy!(although you will not have that problem). Put the polish across the tip in a diagnal motion rather than regular painting, just between the nail and the skin it only takes a bit. Talk to her about nail biting and how unhealthy it is. You can also make deals with her like taking her to the nail shop to get her nails don
e when she grows them back.
Also try clipping her nails when she first gets out the tub using the baby clippers with the large white bulb at the end for better parent gripping made by Gerber I think. I've noticed this will eliminate the noise of clipping. Hope this helps and good luck!

MamaLynn