Chewing Finger Nails - Springfield,IL

Well, there's a stuff that you can paint on fingernails. Ask about it at your pharmacy. It doesn't show, but if you put your nail to your mouth you get a really awful taste!

If you use it, talk to your son first! He needs to understand that the stuff is not to punish him; it's just to help him get past a bad habit.

I'm a nail-chewer from way back. I'm better with it now, and about time. I think it was a low-level anxiety. As I got older, and there was high-level stuff to be anxious about instead, I decided nail-chewing didn't work! So I've pretty well stopped. Your son doesn't have to wait until he's that old, however. :^)

What did the psychologist say? Did he perhaps say that your son needs more oral stimulation? My son was a hard core pacifier user, he also chewed on or sucked on everything, he also drooled quite a bit. There are mouth safe toys/gadgets that are made for this issue. Maybe get one of those and try that.

That being said, my daughter was a nail biter I think from anxiety, she is also 4. We went the "don't bite your nails" route and so far she has been doing pretty good.

I told you both sides because it almost sounds like your little guy has more going on than just nail biting like my son did.

I am a nail biter and also a finger nail/finger mutilator. I bite my finger nails and the surrounding skin so badly at times it does hurt and the skin bleeds. My husband will comment on how painful they look. My nephew went through a similar excessive nail biting phase as a preteen. My sister in law came to me because she figured I would understand why he was doing what he was doing. I mention this just so you know your son is not the only one.

I have learned my bad habit occurs when I am deeply in thought which is rather a problem at work. I go all weekend and am fine; come Monday morning it starts all over again. Holidays are nice because my fingers actually have a chance to heal. I have worked very hard to break the habit and chew so much bubble gum I should buy stock. Depending on why your son is doing it, the habit can be difficult to break so fair warning. I almost never realize I am doing it until my hands are a mess.

My mother tried all of the remedies - bitter/foul tasting polishes, jalapeno juice, hot sauce, gloves, tape, etc. She rode me like a steeplechase jockey on the matter. All to no avail since I still bite my finger nails and fingers. Unintentionally my mother made me feel enormous shame and guilt on the matter so I would caution you on your approach. She will be the first to say all she was trying to do was help me. However, all I remember is the constant nagging and the frustration in her voice. I felt like a miserable failure because I couldn't that one little thing she seemed to want most. Even now I detest being reminded to get my hands out of my mouth. Nagging never solved anything. With my toddler I don't say anything. I just reach over and gently pull his hands out of his mouth. If he persists for a few minutes, then I take him to go wash his hands to redirect his mind. Good luck.

My 2 year old daughter did this. Would bite down to the quick. I had to completely stop mentioning it for her to stop.. it was hard but worked! Does your 4 year old respond to incentives? Maybe offer certain rewards that he can choose himself?

You know, when I had preschoolers, I would just send them into the bathroom to wash their hands every single time I saw their fingers in their mouths. What a pain! "Keep yourself healthy and your friends healthy... go wash up with soap now."

When I was a kid, I stopped biting my nails when I started polishing them. Maybe use some of that bad tasting stuff?