3-Year-Old Bites Nails: Causes & Solutions

It’s tough to get a three-year-old to stop biting his or her nails.

Parents will use many tactics in an attempt to get their older child to stop this form of self-mutilation, including bribes with money.

But a three-year-old nail biter?

That’s a lot harder to tackle. What could cause a three-year-old to begin nibbling at their nails anyways?

“What causes a three-year-old to be anxious?” asks Dr. John Huber, a clinical forensic psychologist and chairman for Mainstream Mental Health, a nonprofit organization that brings positive change to the lives of those with mental illness.

“It probably has something to do with the communication between the parent and child. It may also have something to do with potty training.

“The reason why is because there are demands being placed on the child by society and their parents versus their natural proclivity to potty train when they’re ready. So anxiety is possible among young kids.”

Many parents think that a child so young can’t possibly know what anxiety is. Preschoolers don’t have bills to worry about, for instance.

But three-year-olds may indeed feel a lot of anxiety simply because their little brains aren’t developed enough to process the true nature of their sometimes bewildering environment.

Could a young child who feels very secure, safe and sound actually develop a nail biting habit? It’s just not likely.

I once told my three-year-old nephew, a nail biter, “Stop biting your nails,” when he had his fingers in his mouth.

He immediately withdrew them as I added, “Or nobody’s going to want to shake your hand.” I spoke in a matter-of-fact voice.

I said this more for his nearby mother to get the hint that she needs to be persistent in getting her son to stop the habit.

I had previously discussed it with her, and she had told me she and my brother had tried everything to get their son to stop biting his nails, including applying bitter tasting solution to his fingertips. “He just bit right through it,” she had said.

Of course, three is too young to make any sense out of “Or nobody’s going to want to shake your hand.”

So how can parents get a three-year-old to stop biting their nails? Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer.

What parents CAN do is enforce a rule of no biting when they’re in the presence of the child.

But we all know what will happen once the parents are out of range. This includes when the preschooler is in the bathroom alone, in his crib or bed, or at preschool.

If parents enforce a no nail biting rule at the table during meal times, this should work like a charm, what with the parents right there by the child.

Same with at church (parents are present) or at any time when the parents are with the child.

Maybe these restrictions will some day carry over to locations where the parents aren’t within visual range of the child. It’s worth a shot.

Don’t Give up on Your Very Young Nail Biter

My sister-in-law and brother have given up. This is a big mistake. The longer the boy engages in the habit, the harder it will be to stop. His fingers are frequently in his mouth.

If I perform the motion of removing my hand from my mouth, he immediately removes his fingers from his mouth.

That’s how easy it truly is to get him to stop munching his nails – at least while I’m watching him, of course.

Nail biting may seem like a low-ranking issue , but it should be a top priority rather than tossed under the rug.

The boy’s fingertips are red and raw looking, and as he gets older, the bitten nails will become even more obvious. The habit could have negative consequences in his future.

There really are people who do not want to shake the hand of a nail biter, not knowing where that individual’s fingertips were just seconds before the greeting.

The teen nail biter may have a difficult time finding employment; many teens seek jobs working with food, and there are employers who will not hire even the most eager teen due to unsightly chewed fingertips.

Additional Solutions

If your three-year-old or older child bites their nails, try the harmless bitter chemical. But taping the fingertips won’t work. Tape can easily be removed.

Distracting him or her with candy or suckers won’t work; they can’t have a mouth full of sugar 24/7.

For girls, see if painting the nails with bright colors might be a deterrent.

NEVER yell at, threaten or hit your child. This may stop him or her from biting their nails in your presence, but it will be very ineffective outside of your presence, and will only fuel the habit (remember the anxiety factor?).