Group Discussions

Thumbsucker - Any ideas on how to get her to quit sucking her thumb.

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  I have a three year old thumb sucker. Though I am not worried about it to much right now I do want to take steps now to get her to stop by about five years old.
  I was given the advice once to train her in phases. Focus on having her not suck her thumb in the day time from ages 3-4. It's okay for her to suck her thumb during naps and bed time.
  Then from 4-5 help her get rid of it all together. By the time she is five she would be weaned from it.
  This worked for a relative of mine but right now my daughter is not really doing very well with keeping it out of her mouth during the day. As soon as I tell her to take her thumb out of her mouth she responds but it seem every time I turn around the thumbs back in the mouth.
  
  I have two older children that never sucked their thumbs so this is all very foreign to me.
  
  Anyone have any ideas? Do you think the advice I was give was good advice?

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by monawea on 14th July 2008
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  OMG, I am so in the same boat -- our 4yr old sucks her thumb in her sleep. She used to do it more, during the day, when she was younger, and we've gotten her to stop. But it's a reflex for her in her sleep and I have no idea how to get rid of it.
  
  Her upper teeth are actually crooked from it! The dentist said that we should try to get her to stop because once her permanent teeth start coming in if she is still doing this the damage to her teeth and upper palette might be permanent and require braces.
  
  There is this mouth guard that they can wear -- that prevents them from sucking their thumb. The dentist said if she is not totally out of this by 6 yrs old, we might have to use it.
  
  If anyone has other ideas, please share!

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Nataly on 14th July 2008
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  I didn't have any problem with Thumb Sucking, my son had his pacifier since he was an infant. He still clings on to it until he started Daycare. I send him to Daycare without his pacifier and slowly I stop giving it to him at night as well.
  
  So maybe you can try to slowly change her to a pacifier first and then gradually remove that from her. I think it will be easier cause unlike her thumb, it is not permanently attached.
  
  Good luck.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by MAE on 14th July 2008
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  My 2 yo's doc told me I HAVE to stop her from sucking her thumb. And while I want to disagree just because I don't like someone telling me what to do, I only disagree because it's a real comfort to her. She's doing it right now, sitting beside me. The doc said to distract her, keeping her hands busy with something else. That doesn't work for us b/c she's also always holding her favorite doll which is very large and keeps her occupied but she knows how to hold it or prop it so she can get at the thumb. And you know, I don't have 24 hours in a the day just to devote to her and that thumb. I can't follow her constantly and pull it out or put something else in her hand. I'm not saying it's too much work or that I don't care, I'm just saying that it's not possible.
  
  My husband pointed out that perhaps if it makes her happy and feel safe then what's so wrong with it? Wouldn't braces be much cheaper than years of therapy? Ha, I'm not sure how I feel about that thought but it makes me smile.
  
  Oh, but this may work for the older girls: I told her she can't have nail polish like her big sis until she stops sucking. She thinks about it every time we polish big sis's nails.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by Mandy Nelson - Dandysound on 14th July 2008
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  @ MAE
  My older daughter used a pacifier and it was fairly easy to take it away but my thumbsucker was a thumbsucker from before birth. I have ultrasound photos of her sucking her thumb. When she was a baby we tried to switch it to a pacifier but it didn't work.
  At this point she is to old to try and switch. It's not a conscious choice she is making, she just does it with out realizing it.
  
  @Mandy
  I don't think it's as big a deal as some people make it out to be. I think your doc is a bit harsh to say that she has to stop now. If I could have convinced her to use a pacifier when she was a baby I would have done that and have it taken away by now but a thumb is much different.
  My mother-in-law actually told her that she would have an ugly smile if she kept sucking on her thumb. I was so upset at her for saying that because it wasn't the way I wanted to handle it.
  I think weaning them out of it is our first step and then if that doesn't work we might have to try the device the dentist puts in the mouth. I had a friend who had a 7 year old thumbsucker that has to have one of those. That wasn't until she was 7 though and my daughter is only 3. So I think I have some time to try to train her out of it.
  I have also tried the nail polish thing but my older daughter keeps putting nail polish on her. It's a big sissy, little sissy bonding thing.

  Flag as inappropriate Posted by monawea on 15th July 2008