# My 7 yr old eats his boogers



## Gypsymama4 (Aug 18, 2008)

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Is this normal? He mostly does it when he's upset. We've talked a/b it. I even showed him an animated video made for kids on what mucus is. He still does it. Its not as frequent as it used to be. I dont make a big deal a/b it. Im just wondering if this is something he will grow out of.


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## SimonMom (May 19, 2004)

My otherwise normal 5 year old does this. It's disgusting, and I tell him! I certainly don't shame him, but for the sake of hopefully preventing him from getting teased I let him know he shouldn't do it.

Oh, I wanted to add he does seem to have some other sensory seeking behaviors, so maybe it's related.


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## Surfacing (Jul 19, 2005)

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## Starflower (Sep 25, 2004)

My DD is 5 and does this. We've tried to get her to stop - including educating her about what boogers are. She doesn't care what other adults say either. A few weeks ago, the woman at the drive-through latte stand down the street "teased" DD about her booger-eating and DD just hammed it up for her.









She thinks it's hilarious, so we don't make much of a deal about it anymore. I figure she'll stop when some of her peers react negatively to it. And I doubt she'll be doing it when she's 20, so yeah, I guess I figure she'll grow out of it. (Or at least learn to do it in private.)


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## Onemagicmummy (Jul 27, 2007)

im 27 and i still do it, cant help it.

he may grow out of it, he may not. i still get told off by my parents but i just can not stop


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## SpiderMum (Sep 13, 2008)

I think he'll mostly grow out of it...at least enough to not do it in public. Sometimes you just don't have a tissue handy....









I used to pick my nose and stick the boogers to the wall beside my bed. When we moved the room around and my mom saw...well obviously she was very unhappy with me. My parents made me clean the wall and I stopped doing it after that.


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## Gypsymama4 (Aug 18, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Starflower* 
My DD is 5 and does this. We've tried to get her to stop - including educating her about what boogers are. She doesn't care what other adults say either. A few weeks ago, the woman at the drive-through latte stand down the street "teased" DD about her booger-eating and DD just hammed it up for her.









She thinks it's hilarious, so we don't make much of a deal about it anymore. I figure she'll stop when some of her peers react negatively to it. And I doubt she'll be doing it when she's 20, so yeah, I guess I figure she'll grow out of it. (Or at least learn to do it in private.)


That's funny. My son has hammed it up for us also.


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## salmontree (Mar 29, 2004)

Yep my son does this too. Not as much as he used to but I still notice him doing it on occasion. I'm really hoping he's growing out of it because it gives me the heebiejeebies when I see it. *shudder*


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## AbbieB (Mar 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Gypsymama4* 







:
Is this normal? He mostly does it when he's upset. We've talked a/b it. I even showed him an animated video made for kids on what mucus is. He still does it. Its not as frequent as it used to be. I dont make a big deal a/b it. Im just wondering if this is something he will grow out of.









: =









Quote:


Originally Posted by *Onemagicmummy* 
im 27 and i still do it, cant help it.

he may grow out of it, he may not. i still get told off by my parents but i just can not stop

Dude, I totally retched when I read this. (Sorry Momma.) I have got a HUGE hangup with mucus.

Figures that DD would be a booger eater. I've given up on getting her to stop. I'm treating it like masturbation. Do it in private. Wash you hands.


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## nalo (Oct 25, 2005)

Sounds pretty normal to me. I like the "do it in private and wash your hands" idea but it's not like this behavior *means* anything.


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## Nautical (Mar 4, 2008)

I'm going to try not to retch when I write this....but, my Dh does it, or has done it. I saw it happen a year after we got married. I threw up, and I have never seen him do it again.


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## Onemagicmummy (Jul 27, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AbbieB* 







: =









Dude, I totally retched when I read this. (Sorry Momma.) I have got a HUGE hangup with mucus.

Figures that DD would be a booger eater. I've given up on getting her to stop. I'm treating it like masturbation. Do it in private. Wash you hands.


funny thing is, i HATE mucus of all other types, i cant stand kids with runny/snotty noses, i am on top of mine wiping all the time i cant stand it.


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## DesireeLea (Jul 19, 2008)

I did until I was in 6th grade.

I can't believe some of you adults do! Too funny! Maybe they are nutritious


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## zinemama (Feb 2, 2002)

Normal? Probably.

Worth making a big deal out of? Absolutely.

My kids didn't eat boogers (just typing that out makes me want to vomit) but they went through public nose-picking phases. I made no bones about telling them everyone picks their nose in private, but that in our culture people think it is gross and disgusting public behavior.

I went to school with people who picked their noses and ate boogers. Long after they quit doing it, those kids had been branded as booger-pickers. They were teased incessantly about it. I did not want that to happen to them. I did not want their peers to think they were disgusting, weird and worthy of the utmost contempt. Because that's the way we felt about those kids. They ate boogers!

I am way lenient on a lot of stuff. My boys wore dresses and painted their nails, I'm not hung up about a lot of childhood stuff. Pick that nose in private all you want, kids. But I draw the line at booger-eating. Anywhere.


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## journeymom (Apr 2, 2002)

It increases the chance of passing germs. Head cold germs love the nose.

Make sure he isn't suffering from seasonal allergies.

It can also be a nervous habit.


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## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

Mine does too. I've talked about people thinking it's gross and now I just try not to look.


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## nalo (Oct 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *journeymom* 
It increases the chance of passing germs. Head cold germs love the nose.

Make sure he isn't suffering from seasonal allergies.

It can also be a nervous habit.

I actually read a research article maybe 2 years ago (sorry, can't remember where) that was talking about the health benefits of eating the contents of one's nose.







: (sorry, I hope I haven't caused too much pukage amongst the ranks). It was basically saying that eating boogers was akin to allergy shots or vaccinations kind of. That consuming the various germs internally actually inoculated you to whatever germs they were and you would have a stronger immune system overall. Hmmm....food for thought.


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## Mulvah (Aug 12, 2008)

I've always thought it to be normal around that age.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *AbbieB* 







: =







***

I'm glad I'm not the only one. When I saw that emoticon, I giggled.


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## sweetpeppers (Dec 19, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DoulaMary* 
I actually read a research article maybe 2 years ago (sorry, can't remember where) that was talking about the health benefits of eating the contents of one's nose.







: (sorry, I hope I haven't caused too much pukage amongst the ranks). It was basically saying that eating boogers was akin to allergy shots or vaccinations kind of. That consuming the various germs internally actually inoculated you to whatever germs they were and you would have a stronger immune system overall. Hmmm....food for thought.









HA! I love this board. I eat mine. It's just a convenient way to dispose of them. It's really not that gross, in my opinion. Who doesn't sniff and then swallow sometimes? It's the same thing. Granted I don't go around telling people I eat the dried snot in my nose, but that's just because I don't want people to think I'm weird.


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## *Erin* (Mar 18, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DoulaMary* 
I actually read a research article maybe 2 years ago (sorry, can't remember where) that was talking about the health benefits of eating the contents of one's nose.







: (sorry, I hope I haven't caused too much pukage amongst the ranks). It was basically saying that eating boogers was akin to allergy shots or vaccinations kind of. That consuming the various germs internally actually inoculated you to whatever germs they were and you would have a stronger immune system overall. Hmmm....food for thought.









lol, yes, i read that too. my dd eats hers sometimes, and it GAGS ME TO DEATH but i never say a word. i figure if she feels compelled to do it, there must be a reason!


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## Sierra (Nov 19, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DoulaMary* 
I actually read a research article maybe 2 years ago (sorry, can't remember where) that was talking about the health benefits of eating the contents of one's nose.







: (sorry, I hope I haven't caused too much pukage amongst the ranks). It was basically saying that eating boogers was akin to allergy shots or vaccinations kind of. That consuming the various germs internally actually inoculated you to whatever germs they were and you would have a stronger immune system overall. Hmmm....food for thought.









I knew there must be some evolutionary basis for the impulse







.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *sweetpeppers* 
HA! I love this board. I eat mine. It's just a convenient way to dispose of them. It's really not that gross, in my opinion. *Who doesn't sniff and then swallow sometimes? It's the same thing.* Granted I don't go around telling people I eat the dried snot in my nose, but that's just because I don't want people to think I'm weird.

Me too. I wash my hands frequently, and wash after doing so. I don't like to picture in my mind or actually see other people doing it. It is gross to watch. But _doing it_ really isn't gross. More just like a private thing. It's like watching someone poop or something. You don't necessarily want to see it or think about it, but it is natural and actually a clever system of the body to meet its needs. A miracle waste disposal system of nature.

Oh, and by the way, this same conversation cycles through MDC with some regularity.


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## Sierra (Nov 19, 2001)

P.S. Gypsymama4, if I were you, I would go to my son and say, "You know how I have been trying to get you not to pick your nose and eat it? Well, I was talking with some people, and I learned that picking your nose and eating it actually is good for your immune system..." (note, I know not all kids are familiar with that term, but mine are), and then I would continue, "so I think it makes sense that nature gave people the impulse to do it. I don't know why I don't have that impulse, but I'll leave you alone about doing it as long as you wash your hands afterwards and only do it in private because it is gross to see someone else doing it."

I bet you he'd appreciate that kind of respect (seven year olds love being reasoned with like little adults) and would meet your request with equal respect. I am willing to bet you wouldn't see it again, at least not with any regularity.


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## lisarussell (Jan 24, 2005)

when I was six my dad caught me eating a booger and he was so disgusted- he told me boogers are a waste product, just like poop. "would you eat poop?" I was so grossed out that I never ate another booger again.

It's not true, though, so I haven't used it with my kids, luckily none of them are booger-eaters because whenever I see a kid eating boogers, my stomach turns.

I'm sure hell grow out of it.


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## orangefoot (Oct 8, 2004)

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...gereating.html

Mmm bogeys taste salty and that's a taste most humans like.....ear wax tastes disgusting...... there must be a reason







:


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## nalo (Oct 25, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *orangefoot* 
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...gereating.html

Mmm bogeys taste salty and that's a taste most humans like.....ear wax tastes disgusting...... there must be a reason







:

Thanks so much for finding that article and posting it!


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## Gypsymama4 (Aug 18, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DoulaMary* 
I actually read a research article maybe 2 years ago (sorry, can't remember where) that was talking about the health benefits of eating the contents of one's nose.







: (sorry, I hope I haven't caused too much pukage amongst the ranks). It was basically saying that eating boogers was akin to allergy shots or vaccinations kind of. That consuming the various germs internally actually inoculated you to whatever germs they were and you would have a stronger immune system overall. Hmmm....food for thought.









Wow! That's interesting. I always wondered if there was some kind of health benefit to it. Maybe now I won't feel so bad a/b him doin it...


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## 2goingon2 (Feb 8, 2007)

My 9 year old still does it. Especially if he's absorbed in a book or movie. I tell him to do it when he's alone. I too think it's normal and what's the big deal but hey - do it in private. I agree with the poster who said they didn't want their kids labeled as the "booger eaters" throughout the rest of their school days. My school had those and then some. Those associations follow a kid all the way through school.


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## Britishmum (Dec 25, 2001)

Why did I click on this? Ugh. My kids all did it and it grosses me out. I can handle most things, but this is one that turns my stomach. I guess I just had to know that everyone else's kids do it too. But mine had better grow out of it. I"d rather clean up poop or anything than see them do this.









Now there's no way I can eat breakfast..........


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## Anno (Feb 18, 2005)

I have to say I am proud of how brave some adults are to admit this! I never did it but my DS does and so do several of his friends.
I can't see that it's that big a deal, but do not want him to get teased about it so perhaps the reminding to do it while alone is a good one.

My DH does pick his nose incessantly, but does NOT eat the findings.


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## aaronsmom (Jan 22, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Anno* 

My DH does pick his nose incessantly, but does NOT eat the findings.

This is my DH. But he doesn't care where we are! It's so embarrasing.







: I'm always yelling at him to stop picking his nose when we're sitting at a stoplight in the car or something. I feel like everyone is looking at us.


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## Sharlla (Jul 14, 2005)

Heck according to this poll 26% of MDC mamas do it

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...hlight=boogers I was kind of shocked, I just figured this was something only kids do.


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## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Gypsymama4* 







:
Is this normal?

Yes. Even 7yo girls do it.


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