From the author: To help parents. The habit of biting nails is one of the unpleasant habits of many children, which sometimes remains with them for the rest of their lives. That is why it worries most parents and raises many questions: - where did this habit come from? - what health risks does it pose? - and, finally, how can you wean a child from this dubious pastime? Fortunately for parents, the habit of biting nails is rarely a symptom of any serious psychological trauma, as is often believed. And the likelihood of infection in a damaged nail is not as great as they think. For most children, this is simply a way to cope with worries or fears, or to calm themselves down when they are upset about something. Some children outgrow this habit themselves when they learn to cope with difficulties in a more “civilized” way. And for many people this habit is hereditary. It often turns out that in children who bite their nails, their mother or father, sometimes without noticing it, also bites their nails. To effectively solve the problem, it is important to notice under what circumstances the child pulls his hand to his mouth. Does he bite his nails while watching TV? It is at this time that his feelings are excited and his hands are free. This can also happen when the child is bored. You have been chatting with your friend for an hour on the way to the playground, and the child listens to this chatter, he is bored, and he finds something to do with biting his nails. Is it possible to rid a child of this habit? Research shows that the habit of biting nails reaches its peak in adolescence, and then sharply declines. Only 5% of adults bite their nails, although the percentage is much higher among children. The habit of biting nails is one of the unpleasant habits of many children, which sometimes remains with them for the rest of their lives. That is why it worries most parents and raises many questions about where this habit came from, what health risks it carries, and, finally, how you can wean your child off this dubious pastime. Fortunately for parents, the habit of biting nails is rarely a symptom any serious psychological trauma, as is often believed. And the likelihood of infection in a damaged nail is not as great as they think. For most children, this is simply a way to cope with worries or fears, or to calm themselves down when they are upset about something. Some children outgrow this habit themselves when they learn to cope with difficulties in a more “civilized” way. And for many people this habit is hereditary. It often turns out that in children who bite their nails, their mother or father, sometimes without noticing it, also bites their nails. To effectively solve the problem, it is important to notice under what circumstances the child pulls his hand to his mouth. Does he bite his nails while watching TV? It is at this time that his feelings are excited and his hands are free. This can also happen when the child is bored. You have been chatting with your friend for an hour on the way to the playground, and the child listens to this chatter, he is bored, and he finds something to do with biting his nails. Is it possible to rid a child of this habit? Research shows that the habit of biting nails reaches its peak in adolescence, and then sharply declines. Only 5% of adults bite their nails, although the percentage is much higher among children. But if the thought of spending nearly a decade watching your nails bite drives you crazy, you can try these methods to wean your child off the habit: Distraction. As soon as you notice that your child is putting his hand towards his mouth, try to keep those playful little hands occupied with something. Ask him to help you cut the salad, slip him a box of puzzles or pencils and paper. Offer to sing a song - no one can sing and bite their nails at the same time. Replacement. Instead of nails, you can offer your child to chew on an apple, carrot, or dry biscuits. This method