What to do if your child always bites his lower lip

Children will always encounter various problems during their growth and development. For example, biting their lips is a common phenomenon among children. There are many reasons why children always bite their lower lips, such as normal sucking reflex, unsatisfied sucking instinct, venting emotions, seeking excitement, etc. It may also be a degenerative behavior. For different reasons for lip biting, parents need to take different approaches to solve this problem!

1. Normal sucking reflex

It is a normal sucking reflex for babies to occasionally bite their lower lip. Because sucking is an instinct that children have since birth, including sucking fingers and biting upper and lower lips, these actions will bring children a sense of comfort and security. It can last up to 1-2 years. It disappears by 3-4 years old at the latest.

2. The sucking instinct is not satisfied

If a baby bites his lower lip for a long time, it is likely that his sucking instinct is not satisfied. This is more common in formula-fed babies who do not suck breast milk and rely solely on bottles. Their sucking instinct is often not satisfied, so they will seek satisfaction from other places, such as biting their lips, biting nipples, or biting the corners of quilts.

3. Relieve emotions

When a baby encounters a change in his living environment and feels nervous or uneasy, or when there is family discord, and his parents pay little attention to him or her and no one pays attention to him, making the child feel nervous and lonely, he or she will resort to biting his or her lower lip to relieve the inner tension and comfort himself or herself.

4. Seeking excitement

Biting the lips puts a certain amount of pressure on the lips, which is quite stimulating and fun for babies. It may be purely a result of curiosity and exploration. This habit can be corrected by simply diverting the child's attention a little and giving the baby a toy.

5. Degenerate behavior

If a 3-year-old baby still bites his lower lip all the time, it is a sign of degenerate behavior. When he is anxious and nervous, he regresses to his infant state and uses sucking to satisfy his oral desires. The child may have psychological factors and needs guidance from his parents.

6. Notes

Some babies bite their lips not because they have any disease. It usually happens before going to bed, when resting after playing, or when they feel uneasy. It is a natural way of self-regulation. This phenomenon will occur more frequently when the baby is hungry, lacks maternal love and is neglected, and does not need to be deliberately corrected. It is recommended that parents cultivate their baby’s interests in various aspects. When the baby shows signs of sucking, they can use the method of “diverting attention” to help the baby gradually get rid of this habit. Some babies will also use this method to attract the attention of their parents. Parents should communicate more with their babies and give them more care.