Nail-Biting, Nose-Picking and Thumb-Sucking: Harmless Habits or Cause for Concern

Countless children (and adults, for that matter!) are in the habit of nail-biting, hair-twisting, thumb-sucking or nose-picking. When might those behaviors be cause for concern? Even if they are apparently harmless habits, are there reasons to try to put an end to them?   University of Minnesota pediatrician Dr. Andy Barnes brings reassurance and practical advice to this week’s lively chat with Marti & Erin!     Note: You will want to stay tuned through the end of the show for a Relationships that Nurture brief from St. David’s Center. This segment addresses what you can do to ease your child’s separation anxiety.   WHAT HABITS DO YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN NOTICE? Does your child have a habit, like nail-biting, hair-twisting, thumb-sucking or nose-picking, you’d like to bring to a stop? What purpose do you think that behavior serves for your child? Is there a more acceptable behavior that might serve the same purpose? What ideas did you get from this week’s Mom Enough show about how to understand and respond to your child’s habit?   WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SELF-REGULATION & SOOTHING BEHAVIORS, BEYOND THE HABITS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE? ❉ PARENTING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC: SENSORY NEEDS & EMOTIONAL REGULATION. Tune is as occupational therapist, Kate Biederman, shares practical tips to meet our sensory needs and to regulate our emotions during the pandemic.   ❉ FINDING THE RIGHT “SENSORY DIET” FOR YOU AND YOUR CHILD: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR REGULATING EMOTION AND SUSTAINING OPTIMAL ENERGY. Listen to this episode to become more aware of “sensory diets” and how we can identify the sensory tools and techniques that will help our children be their best at home and in the community.