Many parents are faced with such an unpleasant problem. Usually this habit develops suddenly, due to strong excitement, fear or stress. Recent studies of foreign psychoanalysts have shown that people who tend to bite their nails are perfectionists. The fact is that they make so high demands on the world around them that their gentle psyche does not stand up.
And when they bite their nails, there is an emotional discharge. Therefore, do not rush to scold the child, try to understand the roots of the habit. The desire to bite something is a natural instinct, a reaction to external factors: pressure, strong emotions. There is nothing irreparable in this, in order to find a way out of the situation, it is necessary, first of all, to understand the reasons. Find out why the child is biting his fingernails.
Tests, ointments and activities
The child bites his nails, what should I do? The advice of a psychologist in such cases is as follows:
- pass specialized tests;
- to draw his attention to this habit, gradually weaning thereby;
- use special ointments and drugs.
Psychological tests for children will help identify certain addictions in children and avoid harmful irritating factors, both personal and social. They will determine their own predispositions of the child, his sensitivity to external influences. Based on the results of such studies, the doctor will be able to make a correct diagnosis.
Medication
The advice of a psychologist does not help, but the child bites his nails all the same. What to do in this case? Parents often ask how to spread their nails so that the child does not bite them. As for ointments and creams, then these funds, of course, should not be to the detriment and not cause persistent disgust in the baby. It is about soft soothing preparations and pleasant aromas.
Now in any clinic there is a free child psychologist who can be addressed with this simple problem. He will certainly help, find an individual approach to your child and give valuable advice on this topic to the parents themselves. As a rule, such consultations are held even without the participation of children. The doctor most often advises using preventive methods, without prescribing medications and therapy.
Mugs and sections
The child bites his nails. Psychologist's advice - what to do and how to get rid of this, will definitely help. Perhaps the easiest method is to occupy your child with something interesting and useful. What exactly will tell a free child psychologist. Typically, such specialists are not only in clinics and private centers, but also in kindergartens and schools. The psychologist can conduct tests and identify the causes of this behavior of the baby. Usually in such situations, circles and sections for children help very well. They do not take a lot of time from parents, but at the same time contribute to the development of sociability of the child, raise the mood and give him new knowledge.
It can be modeling circles, robotics - a very popular area of knowledge now. For girls, handicraft sections and music departments are suitable. In today's realities, such children's clubs are available in every, even a small, city or town. Below we consider this question in more detail, but for now we’ll try to find the answer: how to get effective results in a short time? Each case is unique, but still there are universal ways to help your baby.
What to do with the child?
It is worth trying various options and see what the child is more inclined to, what he will like. The main thing is that additional classes do not distract the baby from the main classes. You can solve the problem yourself and wean children from a bad habit. How can parents help a child in a difficult situation? Often, the baby begins to bite his nails from a lack of attention and care. If parents try to find mistakes in their relationships, in the family atmosphere and try to correct them, to take part in relationships with children, then the habit will disappear by itself.
You can give your child an interesting lesson. The most popular board games for children are role-playing simulators. This is a well-known monopoly and board games based on fairy tales and favorite cartoons. The child will plunge into the world of adventure and fantasy, feel like a participant. It is better if parents participate with the child, because this is also attention and care.
Logical games
To divert attention from the fingers will help the children's metal constructor. This is a simple toy, a set of connected elements, develops fine motor skills of fingers, memory, attention and quick wits. Tightening the nuts and building complex structures is what we all did in childhood.
Separately, you can advise playing the piano - it perfectly contributes to the development of fingers and soothes nerves. It is not necessary to enroll in a music school if it is not in the plans or the child does not want to. You can purchase a small synthesizer and offer the baby to play on it.
Perhaps your child will wake up the talents of a musician. In modern conditions, typing on a computer may also be useful, for example, interest-based chats, etc. These methods are more suitable for older children. What other treatments are there for this habit?
How to find out the reasons for this behavior?
This also depends on how many times a year a child bites his nails. It happens that this happens quite rarely, just to remove an excessively long interfering fingernail. Sometimes the habit manifests itself from nervous tension before an important event, such as exams. Then it makes sense to consult a doctor for a drug with a mild sedative effect. Gnawed fingernails threaten numerous infections and diseases.
It’s better to undergo psychological tests for children than to treat concomitant pathologies later. The services of a child psychologist are completely free. It will help to solve many other problems, to find a common language with the child. Perhaps the solution to your question is very simple and lies on the surface.
Where do such bad habits come from and what is the therapeutic “effect” of their use? The fact is that, gnawing a nail, the child enjoys simultaneously removing the excess flesh and at the same time soothes the teeth, distracts attention from the environmental factors that are unpleasant for him.
Nail cutting often causes irritation, excessive itching. And biting is an easy way to avoid such manipulation. Long manicure procedures sometimes also tire. Therefore, it is important not to overdo it with attention to children's fingers, clean nails, especially in boys.
Hand hygiene
Girls can be taught to use manicure accessories on their own, and they will be happy to do it and will never bite their nails. And they will also help to make a manicure for mom. Usually a child bites his fingernails from a certain age, for example, when he goes to school, falling into an unfamiliar, unfamiliar environment.
Therefore, it is so important to pay attention to him precisely during this period. Not care about grades or behavior. And try to feel every change in the child’s mood, talk with a younger schoolchild, catching alarming details and nuances from his stories. Only then will it be possible to notice the cause leading to nail biting in time and prevent it.
Fighting a habit
We have already identified the basic basic approaches:
- Activities with a child.
- Mugs and sections.
- Educational games.
- Ointments and medicines.
A modern psychologist will tell you what to do if a child bites his nails, and gives useful advice to mothers and fathers. You need to find a suitable specialist, it is advisable to constantly contact the same trusted doctor who "leads" your baby from infancy.
Exercising with children at home is a universal way to solve the problem of nail biting. Indeed, in public, children, as a rule, are embarrassed by such a habit, and boldly embark on their favorite pastime in their native walls.
Watch out for time
The habit, which arose on a nervous basis, then turns into an ordinary style of behavior. What to do if the advice of a psychologist does not help when a child bites his nails? It happens that no way can solve the problem. Then you should be smart and find a non-standard solution.
In such cases, the advice of friends, relatives, or the search for an answer on the Internet will help.
Choosing a specialist
Unfortunately, determining the qualification of a psychologist can be very difficult, especially for people who do not understand this topic. But you can see reviews of his work, ask colleagues, just compare advice from two different psychologists. As a rule, in-topic specialists will give similar and specific answers. Otherwise, we simply switch to other methods and wait for the effect. Perhaps, with nail biting, it will be possible to solve many other problems of the child, increase school performance, achieve sporting success and raise the general mood.
The choice of continuing education and teachers
We have already started talking about mugs and sections for children. Let us dwell on this possibility. It is important to choose a circle not only in direction, but also in the number of other children participating in it. That the child was comfortable and he did not feel like a black sheep, especially a beginner. Also rate the teacher. You can talk with other parents, read reviews online.
It is best to select sections for six months, this is the most optimal time. Mini mugs during the holidays or winter holidays are very suitable. And in the summer - all sorts of swimming, hiking in the forest and other adventures. It happens that even a small event leaves a big mark in the memory of the child and makes a huge impression on his mind, changing his views and goals for life. If your baby finds such a goal in life, he will quickly and easily get rid of all bad habits. What to do? A child bites his nails, and the advice of a psychologist does not help?
Preparations
Actually, the harmfulness of a habit is determined through this - how much it interferes or helps. In adulthood, as a rule, such habits disappear by themselves, because a person begins to take more care of himself. So biting nails alone should not cause much concern, if only it does not harm the nails and fingers. Another very simple and universal way to get rid of a bad habit is to use drugs that cause a steady repulsive effect if you want to bite off a fingernail.
How to smear nails so that the child does not bite? The necessary funds should be prescribed by the doctor. When planning to use the drug, remember that we are talking about the health of the child, therefore - no self-medication. Even if a wonderful ointment helped Mashenka from the first entrance or Petenka from the fourth. Even a harmless chamomile has contraindications, so all medications are prescribed by a doctor. This method is really suitable for those who can not solve the problem otherwise.
Folk remedies and advice of a psychologist
A child bites his nails, what to do in this case so as not to poison the body with medicines? From folk remedies, you can recommend agave juice, sage, hawthorn or dandelion extract. Specialty varnishes for nails, as well as chemical perfumes, deodorants and so on, should be attributed to non-natural preparations. The well-known Shipr is suitable here. This simple tool is inexpensive and allows you to disinfect your fingers at the same time, while leaving something like a microfilm that separates your nails from the desire to touch them with your teeth and tongue.
There are specialized sprays and tinctures, especially for such a case. As well as drugs for oral administration, for example, sedatives. Vitamins and prefabricated herbal drinks, for example, St. John's wort, are suitable. It is only worth considering that a child may experience intolerance to certain drugs and their components, especially in young children and with prolonged use. Therefore, at the beginning of the struggle with the habit, a trip to the doctor should lie.
Before using the prescribed drug for external use, it is advisable to conduct an independent simple test for the absence of an allergic reaction: apply a little ointment to the child’s wrist and wait for half an hour. If no redness or harmful reaction has occurred, such a medicine can be used. Before applying, the nails must be thoroughly washed and shaved so that there are no burrs. Then the product is applied to the fleece and carefully coat the nails and the skin around them, especially under the tips of the nails.
After application, wipe the fingers with a napkin and allow them to dry. Sometimes special scented baths are also used, where fingers are dipped and treated for harmful effects and habits. According to the reviews of mothers, children really like these procedures and they like to keep their fingers in a light solution for a long time.
This gives them pleasure and at the same time improves the condition of the skin of the hands. Another simple popular method is finger massage. You can do it in the evenings or while watching TV, while walking and in transport. A child can perform simple exercises on his own, and parents can help him calm his nervous excitement, stretch his arms and improve blood circulation.
It is worth saying that it is useful to combine different methods to increase the effect of their application and search for the most optimal option. Indeed, it often happens that the treatment itself brings more problems and takes more time than a bad habit. So experiment, take care and attention, love your child. And he will grow up a strong, kind, confident and positive person.