HELP! My 5 Year Old Is Still Sucking His Thumb!!

I sucked my thumb until I was 6 and my mom was at her wits end. Finally we made sock puppets and she told me I could pick out any toy I wanted if I stopped. I remember making the sock puppets talk to each other at night and before I knew it I would be asleep (without sucking my thumb). Its wortha a try.

HI A. my mother tried everything around at that time and nothing 'no nothing' helped me. Just all of a sudden I quit but I was around eleven. I only sucked my thumb at night but there was just some reason I did it so long but no doctor could tell us what. Good Luck Hang in there it will happen.

Okay first of all I have to say, good luck. My sister is in her early forties and still sucks her thumb. My parents tried everything and I mean everything to get her to stop. Like your son she didn't suck it in school and we were forbidden to discuss it outside the house. Amazingly enough she does not have an over bite or speech impediment. Right now it looks like she only sucks the tip. She tried to explain it to me once but I don't think I understand. As she got older she sucked less of the thumb so now it is only the tip. I remember when she was younger she would yawn uncontrolably if my parents tried to prevent her from sucking it during the day. My other sister said she was going through withdrawl from her thumb.

Right now you are kind of on the cusp of being able to get him to stop. He doesn't suck it at school because most likely someone made fun of him. Being that it is flu season I would use that to your advantage. Explain to him that hands carry all kinds of germs, especially under the finger nails. He wouldn't want to catch Swine Flu.

Good Luck, I hope for his sake something works.

Try having him wash his hands everytime he sucks his thumb. I work in a preschool and have a couple of little ones who suck their thumb. I am concerned about the spread of germs and flu worries. I tell them that I don't want their thumb germs on the toys, crayons, etc. and that they need to wash their hands. Before they use the supplies, they go wash their hands. Yes, some complain, but they seems to not be sucking their thumb as much.

My sister sucked her thumb for a LONG time. I think there's something out there called "thumb" to put on the thumb that taste's nasty. I think the pharmacist might have it behind the counter.

My oldest daughter (who's almost 6) had a pacifier (until she was at least 5, I think) and only wanted it if she was really really tired or upset. Once she'd fall asleep, she wouldn't want it anymore. I wasn't terribly concerned about it because she hardly used it. BUT one day my husband told her it was bad for her teeth, and she quit. I asked her one night if she wanted her nuk, and she said, "No, it's bad for my teeth." BUT she did have it in the drawer of her nightstand.

For what it's worth, and good luck!

Enlist in the help of your dentist. My daughter sucked her thumb (at night) since she was born, and finally at 6, was able to stop. The dentist gave her a chart and showed her a room full of stuffed animals she could choose from if she went one full month without sucking her thumb. She proudly checked off each day that she didn't, and lo and behold, she doesn't anymore. And, she got to pick out her favorite toy at the dentist's, and her picture is on the wall. She's really proud of that!