Eating hands is a natural instinct of babies, and usually, the desire to eat hands gradually disappears after the age of one. However, if parents still have the habit of eating their hands at the age of three or four, they should pay close attention to their babies. This indicates that babies may have anxiety and tension, and using finger eating to reduce inner anxiety may affect the development of teeth. So, what should 21 month old babies do when they eat their hands?
For babies, eating hands can relieve emotional stress, alleviate anxiety, and have a calming and comforting effect. However, in the eyes of parents, eating hands is unhygienic, and the second reason is that they are afraid of affecting the development of their baby's teeth, so they particularly hope that their baby can correct this bad habit. Parents can help their babies break the habit of eating their hands, try to shift their attention during the day, and set some goals for them.
Breastfeeding can provide babies with sufficient sucking time, more psychological satisfaction, and enough safety in the mother's arms, effectively preventing hand eating behavior. For babies who cannot be breastfed, parents should remember that the opening of the nipple should not be too large to ensure that the baby has enough time to suckle to meet their sucking needs.
Diverting attention is one of the effective ways to prevent babies from eating their hands. Frequently compensate the baby by telling stories, listening to music, dancing, and transferring the baby's need for food. Or hold the baby's favorite little toy in their hand and occupy it.
Parents can hold their baby's hands to touch the toys, animals, plants, tables, and chairs around them, allowing the baby to touch their parents' faces and explore the outside world as they grow older. Children will gradually learn to touch various objects with their hands instead of the habit of eating them.
