Outgrowing Thumb?

[SP38]

Any experience out there with a thumb sucker?
My 5 yr old has enjoyed his left index finger since he was 5 months old. Now starting Kindergarten, and still attached to it.
Any suggestions for breaking this habit?

 

[La_Chiara]

I imagine you are already talking to him about it. You need to because he is going to be in for a lot of teasing in kindergarten. You ought to warn him about the teasing. And when it happens, as it almost surely will, don’t support the critics and tell your son that they are mean. Instead, remind him that we can’t control what others think and say, and help him develop strategies for breaking his habit. For example, tucking his thumb into his fist and holding it at his side, sticking his hands in his pockets. I would think you don’t want to encourage another bad habit for the thumbsucking (such as chewing gum). Finally, don’t worry, he will break the habit. How many grown men or 15 year old boys have you ever seen sucking their thumb? (The issue is not whether he will break the habit, but rather helping him to do so with the least amount of embarassment and the most self-esteem.)

 

[legeorge]

My now 10 year old used to suck her thumb. Around age 2-3 she cut down to only at night. We didn’t think we would ever get her to stop. Well, we took her to the dentist for a check up at @ age 5 and the dentist told her that if she didn’t stop sucking her thumb, she might have to have braces. Well, she didn’t want that. The dentist suggested that she wear a sock on her hand when she went to bed, and she did!! She wore the sock for a few days, then took it off when she felt confident, and never sucked her thumb again!!!
Now, I also have a 6 year old who still sucks her 2 middle fingers while sleeping. She doesn’t want anything to do with the sock, but I am going to try again so that she stops before her permanent teeth grow in (they are missing right now). She is growing more receptive to the idea and has a lot of encouragement from older sister who did it and succeeded!!!
Well, that’s my advice for what it’s worth. Good Luck, but your child probably won’t give it up till he’s good and ready. And if he does do it at school and the kids tease him, it will probably just motivate him to quit and not cause any real damage. So don’t worry so much!!

 

[Emily_Watson]

I hope I’m not asking this question in a few years. My 2 year old son sucks his thumb when he’s tired or bored or nervous. I try to keep him active and comfortable. The good thing about the thumb is that when they want to do something that requires both hands, the thumb comes out of the mouth.

 

[DaveBj]

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It’s like potty training–leave it alone, and by the time they turn 16, peer pressure will take care of it

Also, you can tell them than any money you have to spend on braces will come out of the money that you would have used to buy them a car when they turn 16 (Of course, you actually have to be planning to buy them a car before you can say that.)

DaveBj

 

[kwitz]

The reason why you don’t see 16 year olds sucking their thumbs is that eventually you go to an orthodontist who puts in an appliance - some sort of contraption that physically prevents the fingers from going in.

My daughter was a finger sucker. Her one year old portrait is one of my favorite pictures of her - fingers in the mouth and the other hand twirling her hair. She did it so unconcientiously that she truly wasn’t aware. We tried lots of things but finally at about age 12, we went to the orthodontist. He put in this appliance (I know it sounds like I’m talking about a refrigerator but that’s what they called it). It was similar to a retainer but had three “paper clip” type pieces of metal suspended from the roof of her mouth so she couldn’t put her fingers in. It wasn’t outrageously expensive but of course at that point in time I was willing to spend just about anything.!!

Kris