Giving Up the Thumb: Solving Thumb Sucking in a Few Easy Steps


While it's perfectly reasonable to want your child to stop thumb sucking, it might be good to know that some of the perceived dangers of thumb 먹튀 might not be based on fact. Here are some common misconceptions:

The Myths

1. My kid will still be sucking his thumb when he's 12!

Not likely. Statistics show that less than 9% of children who suck their thumbs still continue over the age of 5, with the vast majority breaking the habit between the ages of 2 and 4. And of those kids still sucking their thumbs at 5, most will stop as they start to identify with their peer groups and don't want to be the only one in kindergarten with their thumb in their mouth at storytime.

2. It will ruin her teeth

This can be true, but only after kids get their permanent teeth, which will start to happen between 6 and 8. In older kids, chronic thumb sucking can start to change the shape of the oral cavity. But luckily, the vast majority of kids will have stopped on their own by then anyway.

3. He's using it as a crutch

While it's true that young children who discover their thumbs do use it for comfort, this doesn't necessarily mean they won't be able to learn coping mechanisms for dealing with stress or self-soothing later in life.

4. A pacifier is better

Lots of parents tell me they would rather their child use a soother, because at least they can take the soother away. But in my experience lots of parents say this and then don't actually take it away! If the soother is their child's sleep prop, and they use it for comfort, then it becomes just as difficult to take away from the child. Lots of parents let soother use linger on way longer than they planned to. I had one client who confessed that she still let her 5-year-old sleep with his soother for this very reason.

So with these common fears out of the way, there really is no right or wrong, only a personal preference of the parent's. Just like some parents use time-outs and others don't, there are many different ways of doing things. If you've decided that thumb sucking needs to go, here are some ways to help your child give it up for good. These tips are designed for kids 3 years and up.

The key to solving thumb sucking is getting to the heart of why your child sucks her thumb. Every child is different, and some might only use their thumb when they're trying to sleep, others only when they're upset, and others at every opportunity! In each case, it has become a habit - and as we all know, habits are hard to break. One really effective tool is the reward system. Offering a benefit to NOT sucking their thumbs is sometimes all the encouragement kids need.


Four Steps to Help Kids Stop Thumb Sucking

Step 1. It's important to find out why and when your child turns to her thumb. For the first week, keep a pen and paper handy, and write down every single time you see your child's thumb in her mouth. At the end of the week, go through your list, and see if there are any consistencies. Does she always suck her thumb around 4 p.m. while watching her favourite show? Does he suck his thumb around the other toddlers at the playgroup because he's nervous or shy?

Step 2. Identify what the payoff is for your child. For example, if you notice that every time she hurts herself she sticks her thumb in, then a conclusion would be that her thumb helps her deal with pain. If you notice that the thumb goes in whenever she's watching TV, then the thumb is being used when she's idle.

Step 3. Now that you know what she's using it for, you can offer her something in exchange for the thumb. For example, if she's about to watch her favorite show, offer her a bowl of grapes to eat while the show is on. If he sucks his thumb when he gets hurt and he just tripped on the stairs, you can rush over and offer him a long hug followed by a quick distraction like a game or favorite toy.

Step 4. A reward chart for a day completed with no sucking can be helpful. You can offer your child a treat or small toy at the end of the day if she's successful. I also find that the more immediate the reward, the better the outcome. If your child is old enough, suggest that she come tell you whenever she feels like sucking her thumb and doesn't, so you can offer up a reward. It doesn't have to be a big treat, just one M&M or gummy bear for each time she resists the urge.

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