Question
My 2-year-old son has recently developed a habit of biting his lower lip, and it’s even caused blisters! He does this even when he sleeps. What should I do?
Answer
If you want to correct this behavior quickly, the best approach is to ignore it and redirect his attention appropriately. Avoid criticism and scolding. During infancy, children may have insufficient oral needs, leading to habits like biting lips, sucking fingers, or licking clothes. Once such habits are formed, they can be difficult to correct. Pay attention to any signs of chapped lips, lip deformation, or tooth deformation in your child. If there are no special changes, don’t worry too much. Correction should be gradual; rushing it won’t be effective and may put pressure on the child. During the day, ensure your child has moderate activity to feel moderately tired. Before bedtime, a warm bath and a full-body massage can help the child quickly enter a deep sleep state (bad habits often occur during bedtime or in light sleep). Before sleeping, accompany your child in storytelling, and use your hands to massage the area around the lips; sometimes this can have a better corrective effect.