Picking your nose in public is gross. Much more if you eat what you have picked from your nose. Mucophagy, or nose picking and eating boogers, is an action frowned upon by many.
Why do kids eat boogers?
Kids do not have socializing skills yet, so they do not know that it is unacceptable to eat boogers. They have a higher tendency of eating boogers because they do not know that there is an alternative way to remove particles inside their nose. Apart from that, they are not aware of how gross and unacceptable it is to eat their booger.
People typically associate booger-eating to children, but some adults eat booger too. When adult people do that, it is usually caused by several factors.
Sometimes an adult has the habit of picking their nose and eating the booger unconsciously. Other times, picking their nose is their way of relieving anxiety. Rhinotillexomania is a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder classified as compulsive nose-picking.
Risks of eating boogers
Kids eat their booger because it tastes slightly sweet and salty.
One study found that people who pick their noses have higher chances of carrying Staphylococcus aureus than those who do not. Chronic nose pickers are people who pick their nose so much that it causes them to nosebleed.
How to stop kids from eating boogers
Children who have developed eating booger habits are hard to stop. Here are some ways to help them.
Use saline solution
The saline solution helps keep the nostrils wet, thereby reducing the chances of booger formation and the need to relieve oneself from the dry and itchy nose.
Identify the causes
If you notice your child has a seasonal runny nose or he keeps on scratching his, then it could be a sign that he has rhinitis. Talk to his pediatrician so that he could help you resolve the issue.
Bandage the finger
If your child has a specific finger he uses for picking his nose, try to bandage it so that every time he unconsciously tries to pick his nose, it would make him stop because the bandage would make it hard for him to stick his fingers into his nostrils.
Have a tissue ready
Give your child tissues whenever you catch him picking his nose. For older children, have them bring their tissue packs, remind them now, and then make good use of the tissue paper instead of using their bare fingers.
Find an alternative stress reliever
Habitual nose-picking could be a sign that a person is under stress. Teach your child some stress-relieving ideas to prevent him from sticking his fingers into his nose. Teach them deep breathing or do sports to get rid of stress.
Educate them
Children who pick their nose and eat boogers then touch household items or other people's skin could spread bacteria and viruses that could cause flu or common colds to other people. Other than that, picking nose could cause their nose to sore, further causing more booger production in their nose until the cycle does not end.
