How-to Cures for Thumb Sucking
When it comes to self-soothing behaviors like thumb-sucking, it can be difficult to know how and when to try to get your child to change this behavior. Many kids eventually lose interest and stop sucking their thumbs before they go to kindergarten. Others need help learning to cope without it. Convincing your child that it is good to refrain from sucking her thumb may seem like a daunting task, but many parents have had success by being empathetic and employing a few tried-and-true methods.
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Instructions
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Talk to your child openly about her thumb-sucking. When she is in the midst of it, ask her if she knows she's sucking her thumb; children often are unaware that they are, so this helps create an awareness of her behavior. Talk about another method of self-soothing, like cuddling a favorite blanket or stuffed animal. Also be sure to tell your child that you are going to help her learn to stop sucking her thumb so she knows you support her, and tell her that she can talk to you about it whenever she needs to.
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Establish times and places for thumb-sucking. Rather than go cold turkey, settle on appropriate times for your child to suck her thumb, like at nap time and bedtime. Wean her off of sucking her thumb during the day while she's awake and when she is not at home.
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Use positive reinforcement. Reward systems are exciting for kids, so establish one for your child, such as a sticker on a chart or calendar for every day he doesn't suck his thumb, for every day he only sucks his thumb at bedtime, or whatever parameters you set up. When he collects a certain number, say five in one week, he gets an extra bedtime story or something else that is special to him.
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Offer alternative activities. Take note of when your child tends to suck her thumb, such as when she's tired, when you read to her, when she watches TV or when she's at someone else's house. At these times, give her something else to do that requires both hands. Have her hold the book with you while you read, give her blankets or stuffed animals to hold in each hand, or engage in play activities that she needs to use both hands for.
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Ask your pediatrician or dentist to talk to your child about thumb-sucking. Have the doctor or dentist nicely talk to him about the effects that sucking his thumb will have on his teeth, and tell him how much nicer his teeth will grow in if he stops. If he is really into becoming a "big boy," have the doctor talk to him about how not sucking his thumb shows how big he is getting.
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Use thumb-sucking deterrents. If after a while your child is still not able to stop sucking her thumb, place an adhesive band over her thumb to help her remember not to. There are also products available that taste bitter but are nontoxic; these are made specifically for applying to the thumb to deter your child from sucking her thumb. According to WebMD, these types of deterrents work best when combined with a reward system.
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Tips & Warnings
It might be reassuring to your child to talk with older friends or siblings about how they stopped sucking their thumbs. Help from her peers may be more effective, and she will see for herself that they are surviving just fine without thumb-sucking.
Do not ridicule your child for sucking her thumb. This will only make her anxious and want to do it more. Don't let anyone else make fun of her either.
Do not take your child's thumb out of her mouth. Trying to force her to stop will only make it harder and more stressful for both of you. Let her learn to keep her thumb out of her mouth on her own.
Don't punish your child for thumb-sucking.
References
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