Thumb Sucking - Oconomowoc,WI

I guess it would depend on her age. I think by 3-4 they should break the habit, but my daughter was about 7. She really only sucked it during down time like while watching TV or at bedtime. I just remember the dr. saying not to force her, as she might feel the need to hide it from me. I never got mad or made a real big deal about it, but I did try to redirect her. We tried lotion & socks on her hands. I even thought that having pretty nails would work, but she would ask me not to paint her thumb. I thought it was so cute as a baby & awesome that she could comfort herself. It's not like a pacifier that you can just hide or throw away, but as with all phases of our children's lives, it too will pass. Good luck.

If you really want her to stop, I've heard coating her thumb with pure Lanolin can do it. It is safe to ingest but won't taste good. I read some other people, however, talk about how it can hurt their teeth. I sucked my thumb until I was 9 (only at home) and I'm the only one of my siblings that DIDN'T need braces.

My little one sucks her thumb too. I have done some reading on this, and even talked to my dentist, and the consensus was that it really isn't dangerous until the child is 6 years old. That is when it can be damaging to the teeth and mouth. Hope that helps some!

J.,
Don't worry about it if your little one's just a baby. This is perfectly normal and this is your baby's method of self soothing. If you have an older one, yes this can be a problem. The dentist can tell you about a contraption that you strap to your kid's hand that has a plastic guard around the thumb. It makes the whole thing too big to suck, and therefore weans your kid off the thumb. I unfortunately sucked my thumb until I was 9, and back in the dark ages 20 years ago, they put some weird metal contraption in my mouth to make me stop. It worked, but I wouldn't wish it upon my own kids! If you have an older one, talk to the dentist. If you just have a baby, let it go for a few more years. Your child may stop on their own! (Let's hope!)

You could try putting something bitter on the finger(s) used. So would not want to do that. if really bad and teeth coming in crooked then a Dentist might need to make an appliance that blocks the thumb from being used. Reward for the times the child is Not sucking their thumb.

Why is it a problem for you? It is perfectly normal and healthy for infants and toddlers to suck their thumbs.

how old is she?

its pretty hard to get kids to stop sucking their thumb. as babies, it is a need, and theres nothing you can do about it except replace it (perhaps with a nuk) but if shes over 1, thats not going to do anyone any good... as its not a need, but a comfort measure.

you have to be delicate about it because it is something that comforts her. you can relax about it and just let her grow out of it.... once she starts school and is hanging aroudn other kids her age, she might be embarrassed about it and stop on her own. you dont have to listen to people who tell you that her teeth will be bad... i read an article about a mom who had 1 of her 3 children suck her thumb for an extended period of time... VERY extended... and out of her 3 kids she was the only one NOT to need braces! so, its not a guarantee that you will ruin your teeth if you suck your thumb..

just be patient, perhaps give her some limits about it. if she wants to suck her thumb, perhaps she has to be in bed to do it.

good luck with this... its hard to get them to stop once they start!

www.askdrsears.com is a good site for some help on any issue.

Hi, J.,
We have a NINE year old (yes, 9!), who still sucks her thumb at night. We've tried painting on that yucky cayenne pepper stuff that's supposed to make the thumb taste terrible, gloves at night, bribing with ear piercing when she does give it up, band-aids over the thumb, putting the thumb inside the pillow case as she falls asleep.....nothing has worked. Each morning, we wake up to find a thumb fully immersed in the mouth. The dentist says she needs to stop. We tell her she needs to stop.....I'd LOVE to hear whatever responses you get:)
Sorry I can't help, but know that you're not alone!