Hello!

My 15 mth old daughter chews her nails, ever since we took her dummy off her during the day. How do I make her stop before becomes a life long habit?


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  • You use to be able to paint this over the counter stuff on babies thumbs and nails to prevent thumb sucking. My sister had it, I’d ask your local chemist!


  • There are some nail biting solutions in the dept stores for that , but check if it is suitable for a child. It does the trick for adults apparently .


  • As hard as it can be sometimes, but try distraction!! It may work, it may not. Gloves could also work. Also, maybe try putting something on her fingers that she doesn’t like – lemon juice possibly?


  • Keep her hands busy.
    If she is constantly using her hands she will forget all about biting.
    Give her other appropriate things to chew on & hopefully she will cease.
    Being so young its difficult but that’s all I can think of.
    Best of luck.


  • Wow, how to stop a 15 month old nail biting, that is a difficult one. For older ones, there’s things like painting them with yucky tasting stuff or a reward system. Not sure for one so young tho


  • Good luck with that. I did that when I was a baby and I’m now 40 and still bite my nails..


  • Not sure if you can use it on young ones, but there is a nail polish you can use that makes your nails taste bad so you don’t chew.


  • there is a nail polish that you can but that tastes really bad to help discourage nail biting. not sure if you can use it on a child that young though.


  • I’m not sure the foul tasting nail polish would be ok for a kid that young, but trying to find things to keep her hands and mouth occupied might help – particular toys, etc, as well as snacks like celery sticks that she can chew on.

    My son was a nail biter for a bit, and I used a combination of explaining to him repeatedly that biting his nails means he’s getting a lot of germs in his mouth that could make him sick, and he’s also damaging his teeth, along with offering a reward if his nails grow out and he doesn’t bite them for a month. After that he stopped. However he was a few years older than your child, so it may be more difficult with a younger kid!

    Good luck!


  • You can still purchase a buttering solution to discourage them


  • Good Luck!!


  • put something bitter on her nails


  • You can get bitter paint to put on her nails to hopefully stop her before it becomes a habit.


  • maybe get some figit toys, or sensory toys, that might help


  • the nail stuff thats yukky to taste


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