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Step 1
Talk to your child about why she sucks her thumb and why she needs to stop. Sometimes, there can be some underlining emotional reasons for her thumb sucking so it’s important to talk to her and give the comfort she needs. You may need to get to the root of this issue if you are to succeed at stopping the habit.
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Step 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.
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Step 3
Do whatever you can to keep your child’s little hands busy. Play games with him or work on a puzzle together. The goal is to provide him with the comfort he needs and keep his mind off sucking.
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Step 4
Try putting 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.
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Step 5
Remember patience. It's not easy breaking a habit, so your child will often slip back into her thumb sucking way. Be patient with her.
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Step 6
Remember praises. 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.
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Step 7
Understand that at nighttime your little one might suck her thumb. It is usually when she is seeking the most comfort. Carefully remove the thumb and offer a favorite toy or put a hand puppet on her hand. Experts estimate that it can take up to three months to get a child to give up nighttime thumb sucking, so be patient with her.
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Step 8
If you have no luck with getting your little one to break the habit, talk to a pediatrician or dentist. They have devices such as a thumb guard that might help.
