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Nervous behavior in 4 yo?

zach'swifezach'swife
in Pre-School and Daycare

My 4 yo has always bitten his nails. Never obsessively or anything, just to the point where I thought, "Hey that's handy, I never have to trim them!"

Suddenly, it's looking like more of a nervous habit. When he's unsure or shy, he's doing it more often. Which doesn't seem that out-of-the-ordinary I guess, but a couple of times when he's been lying in bed trying to fall asleep, he'll come out crying because his finger hurts...and he's been just biting the skin at the end of his finger, not even the nail itself.

Anyone have any insight?  I'm just wondering whether it's somewhat normal at this age to have some behavior like this? Or does it signal something bigger, like anxiety? He doesn't seem anxious or scared otherwise.

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Re: Nervous behavior in 4 yo?

  • VTbride05VTbride05 member

    Geesh!!! I could have written a similar post!

    My son is 4.5 and just before he started preK this fall he started to bite his nails. At first I didn't pay attention,and then one day I noticed that all of his fingers were red and looked sore. 

    I try not to bug him about it, but I hate to see him do it and he also has had a few days of crying b/c his nails hurt so much. 

    I think that it might have started due to anxiety, but now is a bit of boredom.  I tried putting clear finger nail polish on but that didn't help. I remind him often to either put his hands together or in his pockets.

    Not much insight, but I feel your pain! 

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  • KatieandMark06KatieandMark06 member
    DD has been biting her nails for years. There for a while she got better about it and then she picked it back up again.  I am trying so hard to break her of it but not having much luck.  I do notice that if she is nervous about something she does it more.  That being said I don't think it always signals being nervous because as I said my daughter has done it for years even when she isn't nervous.  It's also possible that DC picked it up from a family member.  DD's dad bites his nails and sometimes I think she just saw him do it and started herself. 
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