My oldest daughter is going to be 4 in February and she still sucks her middle and ring fingers, i want to stop it by the time shes 4. It's not an all day habbit mostly when she is tired or crabby. Any suggestions?
Thank you all very much for the advice, i know that its for comfort and thats y i wanted some advice, i dont want to make her feel like shes bad or doing something wrong but her grandmother is intent on trying to make her stop. Just wanted and outsiderd p.o.v thaks again, i9 believe she will stop in her own time.
I would ask my kids if I could have some, "wow, is that vanilla or chocolate?" It grossed them out; and led them to releasing the habit. Give it a whirl. But freaking out and punishing for it only makes the two of you frustrated.
Good Morning.
Three and a half is a tough age to stop finger sucking habits. I work with children and adults to stop non nutritive oral habits.
Try rewards such as reading to her as long as her fingers are away from her face, reward her when she is not finger sucking, when in the car, engage her in a game while she is not sucking, create a reward calendar for bigger rewards when she has not finger sucked for a week, two weeks, then a month. She may enjoy making a scrap book of pretty smiles. You will quickly learn if she is ready.
Do not be overly concerned about her dental complications at her age. If this is still a concern in a few months, let me know, I'll be happy to assist in a more formal program.
Take Care,
B.,
Totally agree with the last advice. It will stop on its own when she is ready - until then don't worry about it. It doesn't hurt anyone - she will quit when she's ready.
We used an appliance from thumbguard. They have figure products as well. Guaranteed to work in 30 days or your money back. http://www.thumbguard.com
Try putting something slightly bitter on her fingers and she will probably stop. Be careful not to use anything that can hurt like pepper, salt or anything that might hurt her eyes if she rubs them, no lemon juice either. Just try putting something on them and having her taste those fingers a few times and she will liking stop doing it thinking that they will taste that way all the time. Make sure it is just enough for taste, not sightly.
Try it so that she is not aware you are putting something on them, like jut hold her hand and rub her fingers after you have gotten the product on yours. Try taking some olive oil and cilantro and mash the cilantro until the flavor is fused with the olive oil and then take dab and massage her fingers with it and that might work. Good luck and BLessings, most of all, love love love them. Smile at lot at her, it is contagious.
Hi B., Your little girl gets some kind of satisfaction from sucking her fingers. I think you should let her do it as long as she "needs" to. My little girl sucked her fingers when she was tired til she was 7, my other one sucked her thumb til she was 8. They quit on their own when they got old enough to not need it anymore, or they become embaressed by it when a friend stayed over so they realized on their own it was time to stop. Both my daughters are in their 30's now, happy, well adjusted and no matter what the dentist tells you they never had any problems with their teeth sticking out. Best Wishes, V.J.
Hi, B.. Well, finger sucking doesn't hurt the child the way thumb sucking might, and if she isn't doing it excessively, then maybe it's not something to worry about.
If she only does it when she's tired, you might get her to lie down and nap before she becomes over-tired and starts soothing herself by sucking her fingers. You might also give her other ways to soothe herself, like a cuddly teddy bear or rabbit, maybe something that takes up her arm enough so that she can't hold the toy and reach her mouth with her hand at the same time. You could hold her and rock her, too, holding her precious little hand, and that would be soothing and might take the place of sucking.
Remember that sucking is a very primal instinct with little kids. It's their first source of comfort, and when they have to soothe themselves, they turn back to what is easiest and most familiar.
Again, I wouldn't stress out over the fact that she occasionally puts her fingers in her mouth. Give her gentle, loving alternatives, and don't punish her.
Peace,
Syl
B.,
My Daughter will also be four though in March, and she sucks the same fingers. I'm not sure how to approach it either. We tell her big girls dont suck there fingers, and make her think about it by pointing out how no one else sucks their fingers.
Let me know any good tips you get.
Good Luck.
C.
My son was a finger nail biter and I purchased a lotion called control it online and it stopped it quickly. You apply it to the fingers and it tastes awful but it is non toxic. It didn't take very long for him to stop the habit. Hope that helps!
My daughter was 12 yrs old when she stopped sucking her thumb... I know it sounds terrible but this how she soothed her self and it did not make her teeth crocked as they say. She has beautiful straight teeth. I would say leave it alone and she will stop when she gets ready.
I was just at the pediatric dentist yesterday with my 20 month old son who sucks his thumb. The dentist talked to me about the dangers of "digit sucking" (yes, at 4 it can cause damage to the teeth and shape of the mouth) and let me sample a product (stronger than available in the drug store) that is like a nail polish. It tastes horrible and lasts!
At 20 months, I'm not ready to take the ability to self-soothe away from my son -- he's not even verbal yet! But at 4 years of age, it probably is time to start curbing this behavior in your daughter. (I have a 3.75 year old daughter, too... born 11/11/05. She was a pacifier baby and showing no signs of stopping -- until she put her teeth through her lip and I told her that the Dr. said no more paci -- due to germs and healing... it was tough, but she stopped.) I know you don't have this opportunity, though.
I actually talked to my Mom about this subject last night since both me and my sister sucked the same fingers that your DD does. I stopped early, my sister had to have the appliance that another Mom posted about put in her mouth by the dentist about age 8 or 9.
If you decide to go the bitter nail polish route: Dr. Haik's office (pediatric dentist) is on 441 near Wellington Mall. Great office, great staff! If you haven't already consulted a dentist about this, it might be a good idea. (If your daughter hears it from another person, you won't be "the bad guy" either!)
The Kids Teeth Doctor
Tomer Haik, DDS, PA
Dentistry for Infants, Children & Adolescents
3319 State Rd 7/Route 441, Suite 213, Wellington, FL 33414
Phone: ###-###-####
www.young-smiles.com
My 4 yr old daughter sucks her thumb and our prediatric dentist says it has no bearing on how her adult teeth will be. He told us that if it seems to be causing problems with her bite once the adult teeth are in then to handle it then, but he doubted that we would have to do much because he says that a very high percentage of kids stop on their own by age 6....so he said that it was pointless to battle, fight and stress out our preschooler over something that she obviously isn't naturally ready to change and that currently wouldn't affect anything. She is still using it for comfort measures when she is tired or not feeling well. My mom says she sucked her thumb when sleepy until she was 11 or 12 and she has perfectly straight teeth/smile and never wore braces!
If it were me, I would let her develop and mature on her own with giving her a hard time, causing anxiety (then she will really want to do it!), stress and her form of relaxation. I'm sure she won't be doing it on her wedding day and there are probably happier ways to spend time with your little one than battling with her over that.... Best wishes!
I like what beth T and the others wrote about this being a hard age to get her to stop...
just let her be....
Good Luck with that. A child sucks their fingers or thumb as a security. You can try painting her fingers with the new finger nail polish to stop nail biting if you like. But I always heard that they will out grow it. Give her a toy to hang onto when she starts sucking her fingers. Have a special toy and hand it to her every time. If she has something in her hands it will help. But honestly, a lot of kids end up with serious mental issues because their parents make them stop sucking their fingers/thumbs. I know it's not good for her teeth but be careful how you handle it. You don't want to scar her for life.
My 9 yr old son still sucks his 2 fingers. I just leave him alone about it he will stop when it is time. I dont think he will go to college doing it. he is stressed and tired is when he feels the need. He has gotten comments from adults that don't think and it is a blow to his self asteam.
B-
