HELP! 2yo DS is BITING his fingers!

[glupton]

DS was a major paci-addict. The child kept his paci in his mouth nearly 24/7...funny, since DD won't have anything to do with one ...but we took it away right before Christmas, about 2 months before he turned 2. No struggle, no tears, no fighting. So, he started sucking on his fingers instead. No big deal. He doesn't do it all the time, just now and then. But one day I noticed he had these dark brown marks on his fingers and I realized they are big hard calluses! The skin around the calluses was broken and splitting. It looks painful and awful! We try to tell him to keep his fingers out of his mouth whenever we see it now, but he bites them HARD! Especially when he is excited or hugging someone. Strange, I know...

So, any advice? I am worried that his fingers are going to be permanently scarred from this.

[boo0947]

I think id just gently remind him not to when I saw him (something like food is for biting, hands are for clapping, playing, whatever)

also have you tried offering him something he can bite on or something chewy to eat when you see him?

but I would try not make a big deal of it either

as far as it splitting open could a little breast milk help it heal without scarring

[glupton]

Originally Posted by boo0947 I think id just gently remind him not to when I saw him (something like food is for biting, hands are for clapping, playing, whatever) also have you tried offering him something he can bite on or something chewy to eat when you see him? but I would try not make a big deal of it either as far as it splitting open could a little breast milk help it heal without scarring

Thanks for replying. Gently reminding is what we have been doing. Then he will look at his fingers and say "boo boo" or "ouch". The problem is his fingers are so callused that I don't think he can even feel when he is biting. And the calluses are even "dented in" looking on his finger, so that it really looks bad. I hadn't thought of using breastmilk... Of course, that might make him suck/bite more!

I also hadn't thought of offering food instead. He really only does it when excited, frustrated, or when hugging. He kind of tightens up his whole body and bites down on the two fingers. It seems almost OCD.

[cassieJJ]

http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therapy...oducts_id=2128

I've seen these used.

[kjo]

Originally Posted by cassieJJ http://www.therapyshoppe.com/therapy...oducts_id=2128 I've seen these used.

Those are cool! My DS hasn't taken a paci since he was 6mo but he did have a 'chewy' for teething. Now that our new LO has arrived and uses a paci big brother thinks he needs one too. He calls B's pacifiers 'chewyfires'- cracks me up everytime!

[Ashlovespat]

My DS chews on his fingers too, ever since having his bink taken away...but as far as I've noticed he's not biting down really hard. And I think part of it's due to teething maybe, but tend to notice it more when he's starting to get hungry...I've wondered about him biting too hard or leaving marks on himself, but haven't seen anything yet.