Q: "My 8 year old son picks his nose. It's disgusting but he seems to do it without knowing it! How can I help him kick the habit?"

Answers from our members:

Shelli wrote:

My 12 y/o son STILL picks his nose. He'll do it right in front of me, too. It's totally gross. He thinks it's funny. I think it's a habit for him since he has lots of allergies.

Lynn wrote:

Hi, I'm the mother of 4 and have gone through this too. When I realized that my son was not doing this for fun or to annoy me (and certainly not for the nutritional element), I took him to a doctor who discovered a simple solution. Allergy medicine! Problem solved. Dimetapp (or something similar) to the rescue again! God Bless!

Velta Reneberg wrote:

When I was little, I remember driving my mother crazy by doing the same thing. I think it was because my nose was dry. If you would have him put a lubricant, such as Vaseline in his nose, it would probably soften the dried mucus and make it less irritating so he would not feel the need to pick it. Another good lubricant is Aloe Vera Jell. It not only softens but heals.

Janet wrote:

My daughter is 7 and is the same way. I don't know what to tell you, so I am hoping you get some good answers here! I can't stand to see her doing it and many times she causes her nose to bleed. :(