Evening star., 1937-07-02
zes Menu Planning More Difficult Than
Nail-Biting
Is a Very
Bad Habit
Scolding andNagging
Won't Help Search
for the Cause.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

BY ANGELO PATRI.
NA1L-B1T1NG Is \ mean habit for
4 child to suffer under, and
very dincult one to remedy. Some
how 1t gets in down deep and no mat
ter what rewards and punishments are
used to destroy it, back it comes at the
very first moment OF abstraction.
The chewed finger ends are painful.
That calls the child's attention to
them and once more the abused finger
tips 60 into the mouth for comfort and
consolation, and stay there until some
irritated grown-up calls out, Take
your fingers out OF your mouth. Your
hands are a disgrace How you can
bear them is beyond me"
The habit makes keeping the hands
In good condition most trying and
difficult task Bitten finger ends be-
come calloused, or rag-nails or hang
nails. The finger ends, on whose sem
sitivity keen sense Of touch depends,
become dull and clumsy. All form. of
hand work suffers. The effect of all
this on the child is to make him fear
ful, shy and backward. He knows his
drawing and writing are not as good
as they ought to be, and he knows. too,
that his hands show to a disadvantage
beside those OF the other children. It.
is bad business, but what can we do
about it?
First, We can know that the children
who bite their nails are suffering
from some uneasiness In body and
mind. We must bend our efforts toward
flnding what causes this uneasiness,
this worry and discomfort, instead of
trying to discipline or bribe the child
into saving his nails. A healthy child,
healthy In body and in mind, rarely
has this habit. Build up the health Of
the nail-biter and the habit will be
materially reduced. At least it will be
reduced to the place where the con-
scious mind can take some control
of it,
Worry is at the root of much Of this
trouble. The mind begins to worry,
| and the discomfort this sets up all over
the body Of the child sends his hands
to his mouth for comfort. That has
been my experience with many of the
children SO afflicted. When their minds
can be assured the habit can be
checked
Malnutrition is another cause of the
trouble. The undernourished child Is
likely to bite his nails and chew his
fingers. His lowered vitality causes
bodily discomfort. That in turn
creates worry, and the habit grows
strong. Put such \ child in the care
Of \ specialist who understands what
Is needed and he begins to take on
weight, begins to play happily. and
ceases to bite his nails. habitually
Now and then. when the ghost rises, he
will take a nibble
Give extra care to bitten nails. Wash
the hands with warm water and a
pleasant soap. Rub them. especially
the finger tips, with some soothing
ointment like cold cream. warm olive
oil. whatever comforts the tingling
finger ends. Remove all ragged edges,
all dry skin. Polish the nails to a
high polish, because teeth dislike pol
ished nails. and that dislike calls the
childs conscious mind to the state OF
affairs
Scolding and nagging won't help.
Search for tn. loot of the trouble and
do what is possible to remove it. Care
for the finger ends. In time, If you
persist. and try to help intelligently,
the child will win his freedom. He
would be free if he could right now.
Mr.. Patri will give personal atten-
tion to inquiries from parents and
school teachers on the care and de-
velopment Of children, Write him in
care Of this paper, inclosing a Scent
stamped, self-addressed envelope for
reply.
Copyrisht, 1877