3.5 Yr Old Severely Biting Nails - Help!

Oh that is so sad. My son bites his nails too, but it's more of a thing he does if he's bored kinda thing. Anyways, it sounds more like there is more to the nail biting with this girl. Perhaps your friend should speak with the teachers at the preschool to find out if she is doing this there or if it is just at home. Maybe she should also look into doing an observation day at the school. It may just be a bad habit or nerves, but it could also be something more. Since the band aids and nail polish haven't helped, what about wearing gloves? I don't think acrylic would be a good idea, since she is so young, and acrylic seems to weaken the actual nail.

Recently my freind was diagnosed with parasites (hookworm and cryptospordium.) She clenched and grinded her teeth at night and also chewed her nails.

This research paper below has only two main symptoms listed in the worm infection study, and they were onychophagia(nail biting) and wheezing(asthma.)Note how it said that nail biting was quite prevalent among those infected. The study shows infection rates of other countries, but we should never assume that just because we live in America we are somehow exempt from them. (case in point, my freind was infected with TWO). Although we might have less because of our sanitation, we still get parasites. They are rarely ever considered by modern medical doctors, although many years ago doctors used to deworm all thier patients every 6 months.(Maybe that is how the 6 month checkup came to be?) My freind had to go to a natural doctor to get the lab work ordered from medimetrix.
http://www.tparazitolderg.org/text.php3?id=295

http://www.nutritional-solutions.com/asp/parasites.asp

I have a 12 DD who bit her nails. I went online last week and ordered Humaworm for her. She has other health issues too, so I am going to see if it helps her.

Nervous / anxiety disorders can be helped by minerals and vitamins. Magnesium deficiency causes high adrenaline. Magnesium supplementation can help with anxiety, compulsive disorders, depression, etc. Vit B also supports the nervous system. I give my kids liquid b complex (sublingual) under the tounge daily.

Serotonin is responsible for mood and disruptions in serotonin level or delivery (bacteria hijacks the receptors) can initiate mood and anxiety problems. 80% of your seratotonin resides in your gut, the same place where bacteria, worms, and other parasites reside as well. Magnesium and b6 help make serotonin. Interesting huh?

Another thing that can cause phychological/stress and anxiety symptoms is Mercury and heavy metal poisoning. look up symptoms online.

You should use this information as a springboard for your own research and consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

This is a hard one. I was a nail biter as a child (and sometimes still am when I am overly anxious) and I know how hard it is to control.
My youngest child started biting her nails around 3 or 4, and then stopped between about 6 and 9. But then she started up again, and is still doing it at age 10. It is a nervous habit and a way to deal with anxiety. I wish I had some solid advice for you but I haven't found any of those other suggestions (like "bite-no-more" nail polish) to work either. Keeping her hands busy (especially with crafts) does help some. Acrylic nails are not a good idea because it just gives her more to chew on and could be toxic. Hopefully she will just grow out of it, I'm sure hoping mine does :(

My daughter has bitten her nails since she was 2 but never to the extent that you speak of. My research said that it is a self-soothing behavior. My daughter continued biting her nails until she got braces and then she couldn't because of the braces. I would suggest re-directing her nervousness to another behavior but I'm not sure what. If I recall, my research indicated that there wasn't much you could or should do to curb this type of behavior.

I was a nail biter forever... as a kid and an adult. The only thing that saved me was acrylic nails which I have been wearing for years and years. However, when one breaks, I find myself wanting to bite or pick at them until it is replaced.

Perhaps if a thin coat of acrylic was put on them, it might help; however, I would be worried about the toxic affect if she did continue to bite them. Perhaps her mom should take her to the doc to see what they say and go from there.

It sounds like social anxiety. I would suggest some counseling and some social therapy. I have it and I have been on meds for years but when I was that age (all through my childhood really) I had the same problem. There are therapys now for that and probably some tips that her mother could find online.