:-( My daughters nervous tic is back. I don't know what to do.
From early on my daughter has chewed her nails. Around age 3 she started chewing the beds of her fingers. Last year it got really bad with a lot of family changes. Around October they finally healed after 3 doctor visits and steriod creams to help in case she picked up a staph infection at school. She just turned 6 last month and I noticed the other day her fingers are RAW again. I don't know what to do. I have told her to chew her shirt because I rather buy her a ton of shirts then her not be able to use her hands as she got older. She already has scars on her hands. The three different doctors were no help. since she also has a bad habit of chewing one part of her hair they said she will out grow it. After the last healing I was so proud of her I took her to get her nails done (something I wouldn't allow until she quit chewing) I told her that she can't go camping this summer if she can't quit chewing her hands. I chewed me nails raw as a child and unfortunally it only subsided a little as I got older. I've tried telling her that if she continues either she is going to be scarred to the point of not being able to bend her fingers, or she will end up with staph (with graphic details) Nothing has changed in our house or at school has changed. She use to do it out of bordom. I asked her why she does it and she has told me its the skin when it starts to come off she has to take it off. I've tried telling her it comes off on its own when it is ready. Does anyone have any ideas? I've tried lotion, creams and she still chews. Hot sauce doesn't work (she has jalapeno eating contests with her sisters) I tried that no biting spray for dogs. I'm out of ideas and the three doctors I've taken her to hasn't taken it seriously.
Fidgets are beaded bracelets, or a stress ball to carry or other item to hold onlt or manipulate when she gers the urge to chew.
I chewed my nails when I was a kid - I HATED having any bit of nail, skin, etc sticking up where it shouldn't be, and I would pick/chew at it until it was an awful mess. I never set out to bite my nails, but could think of nothing else until I got that (minute) bit of nail off, which would bring half of the rest of my nail with it.
Is there any way to make the whole area smooth? Liquid bandage might cover the peeling/rough areas so that she wouldn't be as tempted. What about always having an emery board to file off any spots sticking up?
Could you try a reward chart with big payout? Ice cream for dinner will lure my kids to do ANYTHING! Give her a reason, every day, to think about what she's doing and to not want to nibble. Having painted nails might not be enough of a reward - there must be something that will make her really motivated!
Good luck!!!
Quoting Jinx-Troublex3:
I would let her chew gum, or get her some type of "fidgit"..
Fidgets are beaded bracelets, or a stress ball to carry or other item to hold onlt or manipulate when she gers the urge to chew.
She already chews 6 pieces a day if not more. Her school won't allow her to chew the gum, she ended up in big trouble one day after I sent a pack with her.
Quoting Jinx-Troublex3:
I would let her chew gum, or get her some type of "fidgit"..
Fidgets are beaded bracelets, or a stress ball to carry or other item to hold onlt or manipulate when she gers the urge to chew.
Duct Tape. Cut little strips of duct tape and wrap them around the ends of her fingers. Not so tight that it cuts off calculation, but snug. You could even get some of the cute designer tape and call it decoration. Itll take her hours to pick the tape off.
If thats too brutal sounding, or if shes worried about kids teasing her, you could try covering the ends of her fingers in that liquid band aid stuff... new skin I think its called, it might just give her more to pick at, but if it keeps her skin attached to her fingers, thats good, right?
Is there any way to make tying shoes fun?
- Cambriagurlmom
on May. 16, 2012 at 6:31 AM