hey mamas! My 2 year old son has developed a habit of licking his upper lip. He doesn't actually lick it with his tongue, but he uses his lower lip and curls it over the top lip. This has been going on for over 2 months and it is almost always red. Sometimes it gets a little better, but then gets worse again. As soon as i try to put anything on it, he licks it right off. I have been putting salve on it at night while he is sleeping, but sometimes he even wakes up and licks it off. He seemed to develop the habit soon after we took the binky away, so i don't know if it has anything to do with that. I am just at my wits end, and i just want him to stop. My newest tactic is to keep telling him to dry his lip whenever he does it or i see that its moist. I really don't want this to continue much longer. Any suggestions?? Please help!!!!
My son did the exact same thing! I was just a broken-record, kept telling him not to do it....on and on and on. Finally he stopped.....Be consistent, stay on top of him and he will stop. Good luck!
Definitely due to the missing binky. He needed to replace the fixation....... and on a good note, he is brilliant, because he found the replacement! On the bad note, it was his upper lip. The binky sometimes becomes a source of security and if you took it away recently at the age of 2, he definitely had a deep attachment to it. Try putting carmax or medicated blistex on his upper lip. They will soothe the dryness and both have a funky taste to them. The carmax tastes perfumy and will stay in his mouth for a bit. The blistex is medicated and has the menthol taste. If you are lucky, he will not like either and will stop licking his lip. If neither of these works, then you are going to have your work cut out for you and you will have to be patient....each time you see him do it, distract him with something he likes. A story, a game with mommy, something that will stop him from doing it at the time he does it. Tickle him, tickle his nose, play face games(ie-simon says stick out your tongue....etc). Good luck A., it'll be hard, but stick to your guns and remember, the more you make an issue of the more he's going to do it.
I wouldn't use carmex or blistex as they are actually more drying. You could put a little lanolin (lansinoh is good). It it thick, water resistant and safe.
My middle son David did the same thing around the time that he started school. We have noticed he does it mostly when he is nervious so being at a new school with a new teacher and new kids, it was hard to get him to stop. But I used the Blistex LIP MEDEX (in the blue cantainer) everytime I cought him dong it and when i say everytime I mean everytime. I also bought one and sent it to school with him and asked the teacher to do the same thing. He really didn't like the smell or the taste of it so he finally figured it out that if he stop licking his lips it wouldn't be put on him anymore. It took him a good week or so to figure it all out. And I also used A&D Ointment at night. He does still do it but as soon as its a little bit red I go right back to putting the stuff on him and that reminds him and usually stops with in the day. Hope this helps and good luck!!
C.
Mom , its a nervous habit,
I suggest return the binky
use chapstick its harder to lick/suck off,
Give him pops, and keep his mouth full, so as to help him break the habit,
give him the straw sippy cup and make sure he has a constant supply of juice in that cup
what ever you can do to help his oral fixation.
M
I would go to the pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist. Ask about buying something over-the counter that would discourage this behavior. I bet there is something safe that can be applied that could be used for this situation and also for thumb sucking.
Your little darling has developed a bad habit, it may take a few applications to help break the habit.
D.
