How to Stop Toddlers From Biting Nails

Are you looking to find the answer for how to stop toddlers from biting their nails? If your toddler bites their nails they are most certainly not alone. Nail biting is quite a common habit for many toddlers to develop, and for the most part, it isn’t really a cause for concern, it is something that needs to be monitored as it can lead to larger issues. If you are ready to take the measure to stop nail biting in your toddler, this article is for you. Here, we will be exploring why toddlers begin nail biting in the first place, and what steps you can do to assist them in stopping.

Why Do Children Toddlers Bite Their Nails?

It is important to understand a bit of the psychology behind why toddlers bite their nails in the first place, in order to find the solution for how you can get toddlers to stop biting their nails. On average, nail biting begins at around two years of age. 2-year old nail biting usually begins with bouts of anxiety or stress in your toddler. They can come in the form of a number of issues, but the bottom line is an emotion where your toddler simply doesn’t understand how to process what they’re feeling, so they end up biting their nails in order to give them a sense of control and a coping mechanism of sorts. Nail biting for your toddler is self-soothing, and if your toddler is frigidity or overly active, this may be one of the underlying causes for them to be able to calm themselves down a bit.

Habits also tend to build upon each other. For example, if your toddler sucked his thumb, he may end up graduating to nail biting, and then moving on to cuticle biting. This is one of the main reasons why putting an end and encouraging your toddler to quit nail biting should be an ultimate goal before issues like teeth deformity and bleeding end up happening to your toddler.

Don’t let any of this cause you any sense of alarm. Your toddler is not dealing with some burdensome, deep-rooted issue. Nail biting usually is nothing more than a nervous issue that more-often-than-not will end up working itself out on its own.

Wondering If It Is The Right Time To Start?

There really is no set amount of time that you should wait to step in and encourage your toddler to quit biting their nails. In fact, the sooner you can do something, you should in order to help improve the progress of your toddlers from biting their nails. Early intervention can be incredibly helpful in ensuring that your toddler does not continue nail biting which can lead to a number of issues down the road for their hygiene, teeth, and fingers. Starting as soon as possible can help make for great progress for your toddler from biting his or her nails.

Top Five Ways to Stop Nail Biting in Your Toddler

If you are ready to start the process to find the answer for how to stop toddlers from biting their nails, here are the top ways you can do so with ease and success:

Prevent Toddler Nail Biting

Sure, this may seem like a given, but the best defense is a good offence, and preventing toddler nail biting before it can happen is the best way to put an end to toddler nail biting in the first place. Be sure to keep their nails and cuticles trimmed down to a healthy length so they aren’t tempted to chew on their nails.

Use Bitter Nail Polish Treatment

This website is filled with resources on the leading brands of bitter tasting nail polish along with a wide range of content for understanding how to stop nail biting in general. Choose one that is safe and effective for your toddler. Learning about your options for bitter nail polish can be your answer to how to stop toddlers from nail biting.

Provide a Substitution

Another good way to encourage your toddler to end nail biting is finding a substitute. Whether it is a small toy or a craft that you can use to keep their hands busy, or even a snack that they can gnaw on instead of their nails, this is a great tactic to use to deter your toddler from nail biting and help quit nail biting once and for all.

Be Proactive

Talk to your toddler about their nail biting habit. If they aren’t aware that they are doing it, or don’t understand why it’s not a good habit, they will simply continue doing it. Come up with a secret cue or code word that the two of you can use together when your toddler starts biting their nails. This can be a fun and engaging way to get their attention, without embarrassing them, and reminds them to stop biting their nails.

Reward Them

Set up a reward system to encourage them to stop nail biting! Put a creative chart on your refrigerator or wherever is convenient, and use stickers to allow your toddler to actively be able to see just how good they are doing without biting their nails. Set small goals to start and allow them to be able to work up to the opportunity of earning a larger prize that they really will look forward to! When they can see that not biting their nails can lead to something really fun and exciting, they will be significantly more keen on quitting.

Helping your toddler quit nail biting can most certainly feel a bit overwhelming at first, but the more positive and fun you can make the process, will help ensure that your toddler actually wants to put a stop to it once and for all! Stay positive, encourage your toddler and you will be sure to see effective results for how you can stop toddlers from biting their nails! For additional tips, visit our our guide with more ideas on how to stop biting nails today.