Nail biting, which is common and widespread in children, occurs with many conditions. Nail biting, which is more common in girls than boys, may increase during adolescence. It is seen that one out of every two adolescents bite their nails. According to experts, nail biting, which is frequently seen in children of parents who apply physical punishment, develops as a method of coping with stress.
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Gökçe Cömert from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital drew attention to important points about nail biting behavior in children.
Stating that it is a reflection of the tension felt by the child in the face of severe stressors such as problems at school, concerns about academic success, tension and unrest in the home environment, sibling jealousy, fears, migration, Cömert said the following:
Children exposed to physical punishment bite their nails more often
"Nail biting behavior may not accompany any other psychological disorder, but it is highly likely to be seen with psychiatric disorders such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, tic disorder, anxiety, and trauma disorder. Studies have shown that the risk of tic disorder in children who bite their nails is 8.1 times higher than those who do not bite their nails. As expected, this behavior is more common in children of parents who use physical punishment. Children who are pressured and criticized by their parents may cope with the stress they face by biting their nails. Nail biting is one of the most common behaviors in children who have been sexually abused. Families should be sensitive and cautious in this regard."
It is more common in girls
Emphasizing that nail biting behavior, which is a common situation in children, usually starts at the age of 3-4 and tends to increase towards adolescence, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Cömert said, "It is seen that one out of every two adolescents bite their nails during adolescence. This rate decreases in adulthood. Studies show that nail biting behavior is more common in girls than in boys."
Scolding and criticizing is not enough
Gökçe Cömert said, "At the age of 3-4, nail biting behaviors of children can be ignored by parents, but if this behavior continues, the underlying causes should be urgently investigated." Gökçe Cömert said, "Families should consult experts in this regard. Experts can apply medical treatment when necessary. Considering that attitudes such as scolding, criticizing, yelling and pressuring do not produce positive results, parents should change their attitudes."
Changing the direction of attention is one of the effective methods
Gökçe Cömert said that diverting the child's attention is one of the effective methods to reduce nail biting behavior and underlined that children should be kept away from movies and games that cause fear.