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Nose Picking
What Experts Say
Most kids are obsessed with their body parts -- especially holes like the nose, mouth, or ears -- yet picking can be a nuisance to parents, and embarrassing when done in public.
There are some health consequences to picking as well, such as trauma when a fingernail scratches the skin inside the nose, says pediatrician Ari Brown, M.D., author of "Toddler 411" and "Baby 411." Picking can also lead to impetigo, a skin infection around the nostrils.
While it's hard to control what your child does when he is sitting in his car seat or at naptime, you can try to limit this fascinating activity when you're around....
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According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, nose-picking is one of those self-comforting habits that tend to decrease as your child gets older. They also suggest refraining from using harsh words or humiliation tactics to get your child to stop. This type of ridicule tends to exasperate the problem. Simply let them know that nose-picking is not an appropriate behavior in front of people and that they need to use a tissue when their nose is stuffed up. Have them keep a tissue in their pocket and remind them to use it when you see them sticking their finger in their nose.
Do As I Say, Not As You Just Saw Me Do
Making too a big deal about nose picking may reinforce the behavior; kids will learn that they can provoke a quick and entertaining response from parents with just one finger.If a child is actually picking, offer to help him wipe his nose with a tissue. Be consistent and even-toned about it. Practice or make a game out of his learning how to blow his nose.
While it's an important safety lesson to teach a child not to stick things up his nose, a toddler will probably have a hard time distinguishing between "picking your nose," which you just told him not to do, and "scratching your nose," which he just saw you do at the red light. When teaching polite behavior, and setting expectations, don't forget the influence of a parent's example.
What cured my preschooler's habit of picking and eating! her boogers was telling her what mucus does: it protects our bodies by catching the dirt and germs you breathe in. Did she really want to eat "dirt and germs?" No. End of story. Since then she's always used a tissue.
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ParenTips on Nosepicking
Tips from Marilyn Heins, M.D., on dealing with kids who pick their noses. How to break the habit.
July 17, 2007
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June 27, 2007
It's okay in the bathroom, in private
We tell our son it's okay to do this in the bathroom, in private, in addition to spitting and some of his other unpleasant habits. I did notice that public nose picking diminished once our son entered kindergarten--kids quickly catch on... read moreNot Acceptable?