Small babies usually do not need to stop eating hands, older babies need to try to correct the habit or consult a doctor for treatment.
Newborn full-term babies generally have a good ability to suck, belong to the normal physiological reflexes, 3 months or so the baby can put their own small hands or fingers into the mouth to suck, this action suggests that the baby hand-eye coordination is good, but also can promote the development of the baby’s perceptual ability.
Within 1 week of age, babies will have a micturition period, through eating hands can relieve hunger or sleepiness when the uneasiness, but also through sucking to get pleasure. Babies also use their mouths to suck or nibble on other objects to explore the outside world, which is a normal phase.
Stopping babies from eating their hands will make babies lose their sense of security, leading to emotional irritability or prolonging the mouthing period, which is not conducive to the healthy development of babies’ body and mind; it will also impede the good development of babies’ sense of perception. So usually do not need to stop, during the period of attention to cleanliness and hygiene, to avoid triggering local infection or eczema.
Around the age of 1 year, the baby’s hand eating will usually subside naturally, at this time the baby is still eating hands, adults can use other toys or interact with the baby to do games, etc., to divert the baby’s attention, guide and promote the baby’s overall balanced development, to avoid prolonged and excessive finger sucking to form a dependency.
After the age of 3 years, if the child still eats hands, it is an abnormal symptom, and you need to go to the hospital for further examination to see if there is any psychological disorder or autism and other abnormalities.
If your child’s hand eating is too frequent or accompanied by irritability, convulsions, perioral eczema and other abnormalities, it is recommended that you consult a specialist for guidance and adjustment.