Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Westley has started picking at his fingernails and toenails. It started several weeks ago, when his nails were pretty long and he wouldn't let me cut them. He'd play outside, and his nails would get torn in places so he picked at them. Fine. He would let me cut off the rough places that he couldn't pick off.

The problem is now all his nails are very short—either because I've trimmed them down or he's picked them off—but he's still picking at them. Some his fingers and toes look really red and sore. He seems to pick absentmindedly, while we're reading together or he's watching TV. When we're sitting together and I notice him picking, I hold his hands, and that helps for a little while.

I'm worried about him hurting himself. Any ideas?

I used to do this. I managed to conquer it by age 35 by always carrying fingernail clippers with me so that when I feel like picking at my nails I can just clip them instead. Maybe that would help? I don't know how old Westley is...

He'll probably make his fingers quite uncomfortable a few times before he gets over it.

Silas does this too! Mostly I just put a bandaid on him if it looks sore. Sometimes I'll put clear nailpolish over the spot he's messing with, hoping it'll make him forget about it (works for bug bites!), but that rarely works. He only does his fingernail areas and usually when he's really intent on something, like when we read to him, but man is he persistent enough that it looks kind of painful.

my son does this, and he did it to his big toe until it got sore, and i had to make him wear socks during 107 degree weather. I am glad to see that someone else's kids do it. I haven't found a sure way to stop it. In fairness, i was a nail biter and now a nail nosher (i stick my finger in my mouth way to much) and i feel like it might be learned from me in some way?