Nail biting is not a sign of zinc deficiency, but a result of mental stress.
Nail biting, also known as onychobitism or onychophagia, refers to the behavior of repeated nail biting. Nail biting is a common bad habit in childhood. It is more common in children aged 3 to 6 years old and can affect both men and women. Most children's nail biting behavior will disappear on their own as they grow older, but a few stubborn individuals may continue to do so into adulthood.
This phenomenon is often related to mental stress. Children are particularly prone to stress when their life rhythm changes, such as when children enter day care or school. It is also easily induced when they are sick. Some children develop it by imitating others. Children with personality traits such as introversion, sensitivity, and anxiety are prone to this disease. Some children have unknown causes.
The child exhibits repeated nail biting. In mild cases, they only bite their nails. In severe cases, each nail can be bitten, and even the skin around the nails can be bitten. A few children also bite their toenails. Some children are often accompanied by other behavioral problems, such as sleep disorders, hyperactivity, anxiety, nervousness, tic disorders, finger sucking, nose picking, etc. People with stubborn symptoms may also bite their nails at night.
How to correct your child’s nail biting.
(1) General treatment
Parents should first realize that this is a disease. Simply beating or punishing is not only useless, but will make the condition worse. Secondly, we should actively look for factors that cause tension and worry, improve children's living environment in a timely manner, and cultivate healthy living habits. In addition, children's nails should be trimmed regularly to prevent nail infection and epidermal damage.
(2) Psychotherapy
Mainly uses behavioral restrictions and positive guidance. The so-called behavioral restriction means that when a child bites his nails, parents should patiently teach him to slowly remove his fingers from his mouth and express approval with a smile, nod or praise. Through a meaningful thing or toy, to distract the child. Positive guidance is to clarify the truth to the cooperative older children, so that they realize that nail biting is a behavioral deviation and the dangers of nail biting, which can be corrected through their own efforts. At the same time, children are encouraged to participate in group activities and outdoor exercises to develop their potential and promote healthy physical and mental development.
The treatment of nail-biting addiction cannot be effective overnight. The correction process takes a long time. Therefore, parents must not only have confidence themselves, but also enhance the confidence of their children. By combining parental supervision and child self-monitoring, as long as you persist for a period of time, you can get rid of the behavioral deviation of nail biting.
How to prevent nail biting.
First of all, eliminating all factors that cause children to be nervous is the key to prevention and treatment. Parents use encouragement and patient persuasion to educate their children, and mobilize their enthusiasm to overcome bad habits. Let children participate in more recreational activities to divert their attention. When a child bites his nails, parents should distract the child's attention, tell stories, etc. Practice good hygiene and trim your nails regularly. Coercive methods such as applying bitter or spicy agents on nails are ineffective. If it occurs frequently, you can go to the hospital for correction. Behavior modification treatments such as reinforcement, extinction, aversion, etc. can often achieve good results. Generally, the doctor designs a behavioral treatment plan based on the specific situation of the child, and the parents assist in implementing it, while also providing supportive psychotherapy. The effect of behavioral therapy depends on the close cooperation between doctors, parents and children, and must be sustained.