How to Stop Thumbsucking

A child often sucks his thumb for comfort.

Most infants learn to suck their thumbs very early. It's a natural and comforting thing for them. For most children, the behavior is OK. It is part of their development, and a child usually stops the behavior on his own by age 3. If the thumb sucking continues past age 4 or 5, however, then there may be a problem. Prolonged thumb sucking can create serious dental and speech problems. It can also lead to self-esteem issues with other children teasing the thumb sucker. The good news is that with just a little love, patience and encouragement, you can help your child break the habit.

Things You'll Need

• Pictures
• Nail polish designed to stop nail biting
• Athletic socks (optional)
• Diaper safety pins (optional)

Instructions

1. Talk to your child about why she sucks her thumb and why she needs to stop. Sometimes, there can be some underlying emotional reasons for her thumb sucking; talking to her about any issues can provide the comfort she needs. You may need to get to the root of this issue if you are to succeed at stopping the habit.

2. Use pictures to illustrate how thumb sucking damages the teeth. Tell your child you love his beautiful smile and you don't want to see it ruined.

3. Keep your child's little hands busy. Play games with her or work on a puzzle together. The goal is to provide her with the comfort she needs to keep her mind off sucking her thumb.

4. Put a bad-tasting substance on the thumb. A determined thumb sucker might suck this off, but simply replace it without being too critical or harsh. Nail polish designed to stop fingernail biting can be effective in stopping thumb sucking.

5. Curb nighttime sucking. Understand that your little one might suck his thumb more at night because this is usually when he is seeking the most comfort. Carefully remove the thumb from your child's mouth and offer a favorite toy or put a hand puppet on his hand instead. With toddlers and younger children, put new, clean athletic socks over their hands to prevent nighttime sucking. Use diaper safety pins to keep the socks in place.

6. Talk to your child's pediatrician or dentist if you have no luck with getting your little one to break the habit. They can recommend devices such as a thumb guard that might help.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember patience. It's not easy breaking a habit, so your child will often slip back into her thumb-sucking way.

• Shaming or punishing a child will only lower his self-esteem and make it that much harder for him to stop, so praise and reward him for each successful effort. It will also make him want to try extra hard, which will more often lead to success.

Resources

• Babyzone: 5 Tips to Stop Thumbsucking