Nail Biting:Causes and Treatment Options.

Nail biting is a compulsive habit.Onychophagia is the scientific name for the disorder may also involve some skin-picking.Frequent fingernail biting can cause the free edge to go away and the nail gets incusted in the nail bed.This action leads to inflammation,swollen lateral borders & small warts around the cuticle.It can cause hemorrhage under the nail & lead to nail loss.

Possible Causes of Fingernail
Biting.
Obsessions,compulsion & anxiety are the 3 main causes. Many say Fingerbiting is a way of relaxing in situations of anxiety or stress.These altered states can trigger off the unconscios nailbiting habit.In most extreme cases, it' considered a conscios habit of self-inflicted harm and some specific situations may lead to negative attitudes and exert an influence on the behavior of the subject during childhood,adolescence and first years of adulthood.E.g of these situations may be dramatic changes in the family(death,divorce),violence,rejection for or from step-parents etc.After gaining confidence in his/her environment(school,family),this habit will tend to stop,especially in child nail biting

How to Stop Child Nail biting.
There is no specific cure,although it is advisable to discourage this bad habit and to explain its consequences,like deformed fingers and teeth.

Negotiation without punishment is the best idea.Punishment & scolding at the child may increase his/her anxiety and also spoil the relationship with his parents/caregivers and it is unlikely that the child will break the habit

in severe cases,you can try apllying a bitter substance such as ginger oil easily obtained by soaking some ginger for 2wks in some olive oil to stop nail biting.A daily application of 3-4wks may be enough.Some moms have their kids wear gloves,as a barrier to protect their nails from biting.These kids must be supervised for them not to take them off & start biting their nails again.The repeated promise to allow them not to wear them anymore is necessary for the child to try to overcome this thought habit.The trick is quite successful among kids between 3 and 6yrs old.Therapy is also vital in many child nail biting cases to help kids break the habit