Should parents be worried if their kids develop the habit of nail biting? It used to be considered as a hygiene problem with a simple solution. But experts from the American Psychiatric Association have previously classified the behavior as a mental condition.
The habit of nail biting has been present even among ancient people in Greece, as reflected in the book, "The Stoic Tradition from Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages, Volume 2." When psychoanalysis emerged in the 1800s, that's when theories linked nail biting to underlying mental issues despite no solid proof.
However, Medscape notes that in the fifth edition of the book "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM), which was published in 2013, experts classified nail biting under obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Further revisions to the book saw the behavior as linked to emotional disorders, particularly among adolescents.
Medical Daily cites that more recent editions of DSM have not lumped nail biting into a specific mental disorder category. Yet even as it might be indicative of an obsessive compulsive behavior, it is not a threat to a child's life.
Parents shouldn't disregard nail biting altogether because the habit is still unsightly and unsanitary. The most damage a child can do is on the physical condition of the nails as it becomes out of shape. Putting one's fingers on the mouth could also acerbate the spread of germs, according to the Mayo Clinic.
To dissuade children from nail biting, parents must always insist that children trim their nails regularly using the proper tools. Nail biting can also sometimes be triggered because the kids are bored, hence they need to be occupied or distracted with activities like crafting, coloring or perhaps fiddling on a gadget.
However, if the parents suspect that their children's nail biting is out of the ordinary, then it would be best to consult a professional for stress management. Learn more about dealing with nail biting in children in the video below.
