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Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can stop my two kids from thumb sucking ? I've tried a couple of things but nothings working .

Asked by Shelly , 7th Mar Answer this now »
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Lol . Thank you I will have try something. You right braces are not cheap.
I don't know about nowadays, but........... some of the old home remedies that my grandmother used was hot sauce or pepper on the thumb. I have a cousin who was a thumb sucker. My dad caught him doing it and told him that if he didn't stop, he (my dad) was going to coat it in pepper. Needless to say that said cousin didn't stop and my dad caught him doing it. He waited until cousin was engrossed in something and poured pepper on it. Next thing you knew, cousin unconsciously popped the thumb into his mouth and immediately spat it out. My dad looked at him and told him that that was going to be repeated every time he got caught. Now, I know it sounds cruel, but we survived it and beliieve me....it WORKS. Or at least it did in this case.

I was fortunate in that I didn't suck mine, nor did my daughter. In fact, I couldn't even get her to take a pacifier. The moment she figured out there wasn't anything coming out of that nipple...the pacy went flying across the room or to the floor. I can't even begin to count the number of pacifiers I tried with her, and all with different nipple shapes, too.

And there is NOTHING worse than a 3 to 5 year old and older walking around with a pacifier in its mouth. Call me old fashioned but there are some things that need to be broken quick! I know it's like a favorite blanket or toy, but the problem with a paci is that it can harm the teeth alignment. And believe me, as a lot you know by now, braces ain't cheap.

I will look for more information.
I really hear you -- it's really tough to stop. My daughter doesn't do it any more unless it's in her sleep, but it took a while for us. It is definitely a comfort thing for her. If you find anything that helps, definitely let me know!
Christopher is 3 yrs old and you gonna be shocked when I say this my oldest is 7 yrs old. He's trying to stop but I catch him still trying to suck that thumb. I even had his teachers and staff, Sunday school teacher monitor him about that thumb. The dentist told me his teeth look really good but he needs to stop it now because he is at the age where he is losing the rest of his baby teetch and now he damage the permanent ones. I have literally tried everything. They suck that thing in their sleep OMG this is annoying to me. Justin will do it when no is looking . Iam going to keep looking for something . I read a column in LA. Parent magazine talking about thumb sucking for kids is a comfort zone for them . They minds are racing with different things they use their thumb to calm themselves down or even to help them sleep. I dont know, I'll keep looking :)
OMG, we're in the same boat. My daughter is 3.5 and does it in her sleep -- it's a reflex and I don't know how to stop it. She knows she is not supposed to do it, but it's the way she goes to sleep and has for years. We just went to the dentist yesterday -- he said if she can stop by 4, probably no effect, but if she can't stop by 6, they'll probably have her wear a retainer so she can't do it. Her teeth are actually shifting because of it. How old are your kids?
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