Head banging It seems strange, but it’s quite common. Up to 20 percent of babies and toddlers bang their head on purpose, and it’s obviously on purpose. Although boys are three times more likely to do it than girls.
Head banging often starts in the second half of the first year and peaks between 18 and 24 months of age. Your child’s head banging habit may last for several months, or even years, though most children outgrow it by age 3.
Thumb-sucking Toddlers suck their thumbs because it’s comforting and calming. Your toddler probably practiced this habit while he was still in the womb and perfected it as an infant. Now he may turn to his thumb when he’s tired, scared, bored, sick, or trying to adjust to challenges such as starting child care.
He may also use his thumb to help him fall asleep at bedtime and to lull himself back to sleep when he wakes up in the middle of the night. Don’t worry. The American Dental Association says most children can safely suck their thumb – without damaging the alignment of their teeth or jaws – until their permanent teeth begin to appear.
(Permanent teeth don’t usually start to erupt until around age 6.) Also, not all thumb-sucking is equally damaging. Experts say it’s the intensity of the sucking and the tongue’s thrust that deforms teeth and makes braces necessary later. Children who rest their thumb passively in their mouth are less likely to have dental problems than children who suck aggressively.
Nose picking Your child most likely picks her nose because it’s there. She’s probably curious or bored; like other habits, nose picking can relieve stress or pass the time.
Although some people consider it a “nervous habit” — a category that includes thumb sucking, nail biting, hair twisting, and tooth grinding — nose picking isn’t necessarily a sign that your child is overly anxious. The most zealous nose pickers tend to be children with allergies, because the heavy flow of mucus and crusting give them a “something’s up there” feeling that makes it difficult for them to leave their noses alone.
Also, certain environmental conditions make kids more likely to pick; if your heating or air-conditioning system is drying out your child’s nasal passages, a humidifr (or a saline nasal spray) may help.
The good news is that unlike nail biting, nose picking is a habit your child is unlikely to continue into adulthood. Most children eventually give it up on their own, either because they lose interest or because other kids tease them enough to make them want to stop.
Nail-biting Your child may bite his nails for any number of reasons – curiosity, boredom, stress relief, habit, or imitation. Nailbiting is the most common of the socalled “nervous habits,” which include thumb-sucking, nose picking, hair twisting or tugging, and teeth grinding. It’s also the one most likely to continue into adulthood. Growing up can make kids anxious, and many of these tensions and pressures are invisible to parents.
If your child bites moderately (doesn’t injure himself) and unconsciously (while watching television, for example), or if he tends to bite in response to specific situations (such as performances or tests), it’s just his way of coping with minor stress and you have nothing to worry about.
