What does it mean when a child is constantly biting their hand?
Is it a nervous thing?
A tired thing?
A sensory thing?
Just wondering how I can help out, does it warrant a trip to the Dr? Her hand is covered in a callous where she constantly bites down on it
Child biting hand, is it something to worry about?
Child biting hand, is it something to worry about?
Posted in:
Kids
13 Replies
It’s absolutely something you should speak to your GP and paediatrician about.
Is it possible the child is experiencing tooth pain?
She has done it her entire life apparently. I think it's a habit?
How old is the child and is it your child?
Not mine, step daughter. She is 9
It’s something to worry about. Does she have any diagnosed disorders?
This is not something you should mess with without professional help. Intervening without appropriate support and knowledge can make this child’s biting much worse.
She needs to be seen by a peadiatrician, psychologist and OT.
If the child’s parents aren’t on board with getting this child help for self harm (make no mistake this is a form of self harm, no matter the underlying reason) then there is a much bigger issue that needs to be sorted out.
I really want to take her to get seen, but worried about bringing the subject up with my partner, as they all just see it as 'She's always done it'. It's constant too, her hand is rarely out of her mouth
Don’t have kids with your partner, you’ve seen how he parents, don’t ignore it.
I’m going to be blunt.
If you can’t bring it up, you aren’t ready to be step-mum. So if you can’t, then you need to split up.
Honestly I couldn’t be with someone who ignored this. I couldn’t respect them as a parent and I couldn’t respect them as a partner if this was there parenting style.
If you have your own kids you also need to consider the impact this dynamic will have on your own kids. I say this as a parent who has a child who has had similar biting behaviours in the past.
Don’t ignore things and don’t stay quiet because ‘it’s not your place’ but don’t stay in this relationship if the parents refuse to get help for the child because you will always be the considered the problem and you will drive yourself crazy trying to parent a child that you don’t have the tools to parent because they won’t seek professional resources and support.
If you’re afraid to bring it up, how long have you been together?
But she has a mum and a dad to make health decisions for her? I'm not even married to him, we've been together 4yrs. I thought it would be crossing boundaries making these sorts of decisions and making appointments for her.
He knows to an extent how I feel, that she might need to see someone because of anxiety issues, but I thought it's up to the biological parents to make appointments etc?
You are right, her parents need to make the decision. But you can express your opinion and you shouldn’t be afraid to express your opinion. If they won’t listen to your opinion that’s on them.
Them not doing something is a BIG RED FLAG.
Time to move on if you’ve expressed the need for help and they haven’t listened. Do not have children with this guy!
Could you speak to her mum if partner is useless?