thumbsucking | Imamother

lech lecha08

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 5:57 am

DD1 is 6 years old and has been sucking her thumb since she was 6 weeks. She'll be going into first grade in September and I'm a bit worried she may be teased about her thumbsucking.
Her gannenet tried a prize chart for when she wouldn't suck her thumb at specific times but it never went anywhere since she never made it without sucking her thumb. I've tried talking with her about trying not to suck her thumb during class and saving it for when she's home or it's bedtime.
Right now she has a small sore on hr thumb and I explained how it might get infected since it's always wet and warm but she wouldn't even let me put a bandaid on it, knowing that she wouldn't be able to suck her thumb.
Any ideas?

amother

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 7:03 am

I'm not sure how I feel about this issue.

On the one hand, social pressure is usually enough to make most kids eventually stop. My sisters and I were all thumb suckers until a late age, but we learned quickly never to suck our thumbs in school. Both my sisters stopped by the time they got a little older, I think sleepaway camp provided the social incentives they need.

I however wish my parents would have done something when I was younger to make me stop sucking my thumb. Even though I was embarrrassed to suck my thumb in front of people, I could not and sometimes still can not fall asleep without my thumb. I think at age 6, you are nearing the end of the time when you will be able to gently force her to stop. I remember friends whose parents put nail polish or polish remover on the thumb, or you can read up on other things you can do.

I would remember though, that she may not want to be sucking her thumb, but her thumb is a comfort item, just as much as a paci is a comfort item to a baby or toddler. If she does not know how to comfort her self in other ways to relax or fall asleep, she will not be able to stop.

rikki!

Tue, Jun 12 2012, 8:18 am

My sister was a thumb sucker and none of the remedies worked on her. At 9 she was fitted with an orthodontic plate to correct a cross-bite and they added a small grid to the plate to stop the thumb sucking. It worked magic! after 4-6 months she stopped altogether!
Hatzlacha!