Thumb Sucking

I sucked my thumb for a very long time and it took a friend's ridicule of thumb sucking to embarrass me enough to stop. All else had failed. I learned that the more you pay attention to it the more the child will fight for the right to suck the thumb. All the hot sauces and nasty things were put on my thumb. I always got it off and continued sucking. I believe allowing me to make the choice made me stronger. My teeth are just fine and no other damage done.

From: K. C Date: Thu. Mar. 20, 2008
I have a three year daughter who sucks on her thumb .She will be four in Sept. ! We tried the THUM that you can buy at some pharmacies . Its less then $ 5.00 a bottle . All u do is put it on the childs nails like you would when painting them. Its used for nail biting and thumb sucking . Need less to say it did not work on my daughter. She likes hot stuff !! My dentist told me that if she don't stop by the age of 4 that she might end up needing braces for her teeth later on in life . He also mentioned to us about getting her the ThumbGuard which cost any where from $ 69.95 and up . But is supposed to break them of sucking their thumb in 3 weeks. We have not tried this yet !! If you hear of anything else please let me know so I can try on my child . Also please let me know what you decide to do and if it works . Good Luck !!

My sister (who is 9 years younger than me), sucked her thumb. It got to the point where it was rearranging her teeth. At the dentists advice, there was some realy nasty tasting stuff that looked kind of like clear nail polish that we had to put on her thumb. I am telling you, this stuff if so nasty! Anyway, that was about 20 years ago, so I am not sure if they even sell it anyumore...lol

I have always liked pacifiers although they can be just as addicting, but they can be taken off of them way easier than the thumb. When my daughter was little (she is now 14 years old), her pediatric dentist told me to slowly start snipping the paci a little at a time... eventually, the "sucking sensation" was no longer there (because it was pretty much down as far as you could go...lol). And that was so much easier... my son is 10 1/2 months old and I will be trying that with him before long... please pray for me that it works as easily as with my daughter (he is a lil hard head...lol).

Anyway, just ask the dentist about that stuff. It looked like a cross between Ambesol (the bottle type) and clear nail polish. It had a little brush on it that you just brushed the nasty stuff on with...

I hope this helps... GOOD LUCK!

V.

Hi T.,

My daughter was the same age. We tried to begin the breaking the habit process at 5,but stopped because of the death of her daddy. I spoke with a dentist and his response at the time was "a few thousand dollars for brace or a lifetime of therapy for mental anquish." I started by restricting the thumbsucking to bed and the car (because we were in the accident that killed her dad it only made sense she needed to comfort herself there). One day we got a catalogue in the mail that advertised the "thumbguard" and my daughter asked if we could order it. It's a plastic shield that straps over the thumb. When she put the thumb in the mouth it didn't feel the same. She was finished with thumbsucking in 3 weeks. We took her to an orthodontist shortly after, and began the process of evaluating and treating. She's 14, just had her braces put on and on her way to a killer smile.

Personal experience here - I sucked my thumb until I was well into my 8th year. My father told me I could only suck my thumb at night time and I was okay with that. Some kids just need the comfort of these things until they can deal without it. I think as long as you respect his need, he will be fine and work this out on his own like I did. Be patient with him. Kids do things because they need to and us adults do not always understand.

Alli

Hi T.,
My son sucked his thumb until he was 7 and my daughter just stopped at 6. At that point they were both only sucking at night so I didn't have to worry about catching them during the day.
My son was very stubborn - we tried the thumb polish, visit with the dentist, books, etc. but nothing worked. Finally, I used a bandage to wrap up his hand, pinned it with safety pins and sat by his bed each night until he fell asleep. For him, sucking his thumb was a habit and he wasn't convinced he could fall asleep without it. Once I had sat by his bed for around 5 nights, he knew he could fall asleep and didn't suck his thumb again. The dentist had told me at that point that if he stopped sucking his thumb soon, his teeth would have time to move back to where they belong and he would most likely not need braces. He is 13 now and has a beautiful smile - no braces needed!
We tried to get my daughter to stop when she was three using the thumb guard but it didn't work for her. This year (now 6), she wanted to get her ears pierced and we told her that only kids who don't suck their thumbs get their ears pierced. I wrapped up her hand and stayed with her at night for 5 nights until she knew that she could fall asleep without it. Both kids wore the bandages on their hands for at least 21 nights total. They both had lovies as well and I didn't take them away because I figured that if they didn't have their thumbs anymore they should at least have their other comfort object.
It was a time consuming process for both but well worth the effort. Hope that helps!

Hi Tamara,

Try using a little jalapano juice on his thumb. I know that it sounds gross, but if you put a dab of it on his thumb, the moment he sticks it in his mouth, he is going to get a taste of the jalapeno and not want to put it back in to his mouth again. Should be a great deterant.

Traci

I agree with giving some restrictions about time and place for sucking, then letting the child finish giving it up at their own pace. 4 of my 5 sucked their thumbs (the 1st spit out the pacifier and switched totally to thumb by 6 weeks!) and one refused anything but the breast. Child 4 was still sucking her thumb as she approached 10, but only to get to sleep. We had moved 3 times in 2 yrs and she had a new baby sister. Decided braces were cheaper and easier than therapy. She is now 15, and was recently asked by her new dentist if she had ever had braces. Nice straight teeth, with no problems, and no braces!

Hey T.~

The profile of your son could be mine! He will be 7 in April and also has always sucked his thumb. My hubby and I have actually been glad for it b/c he is our most laid-back child - we have a total of 3 boys w/ another due Mar. 25. When he started kinder, I noticed a drastic reduction in the amt. of time he did it, and I know he doesn't do it at school (I specifically asked his teacher), but when he's tired or bored, it's there. We recently went to our dentist appt. and the dentist told me that it is causing problems w/ his teeth. We've never discouraged his habit b/c we figured it would be something he'd grow out of, but we talked to him and just explained that it's making his teeth crooked and that he'll have to work to overcome his habit if he wants straight teeth. It's actually too late for that, but he doesn't know that, and above all, we do not want to make him feel ashamed. When he's sucking his thumb and doesn't realize it, we came up with a "code" word to remind him: we say, "Unplug, Big Boy." He usually grins and "unplugs" and goes about his business. I told him to be patient with himself b/c he's been doing this since he was 5 mo. old! In the end, I still think it'll work itself out. Also, the dentist suggested band-aids on his thumbs for nighttime, but we've let him be involved in the decision-making about how to break the habit and so far he has declined the band-aids. Good luck to you.
:)B.

I had a two-finger sucker. I never liked the idea of putting bad tasting things on their fingers, and the one time I tried, it stung her fingers. What we did was when we noticed her getting tired and wanting to suck her fingers, we would put a glove or sock on her hand. She only tried to pull it off three times, and when she did, I tied curly string around it so she couldn't pull it off. I also sat and read her stories until she started falling asleep and it was much easier. I wish I could tell you it was a quick fix, but it took almost a year to break this habit.....as they are older, it's harder.

get the book, "my thumb and i"

There's a prong type device that the dentist can insert. Or you can do the old timey way... hot sauce... distasteful flavors... Maybe get photos of people that have sucked their thumbs and let him see the problems that arise from thumb sucking... protruding teeth, misshaped mouth.... good luck.

As long as he is only doing it to get to sleep in his bed...leave it alone. My dad told me he sucked his thumb until he was 10, but only at night to go to sleep. His teeth are perfect and straight no braces...I used a pacifier until I was 5, once again no need for braces, perfectly straight teeth. I think the teeth thing is more due to genetics than sucking (except maybe in extreme cases).

It is hard to break the thumb because it is always there and you can't take it away. There is bitter polish you put on the nail, but if you suck long enough it will come off (one of my friends said she would tough it out through the awful taste until it was gone and then suck away in peace at night).

Good luck in your adventure of breaking the thumb sucking habit and please let us know how it turns out, because I am curious as to what works!!

{{{hugs}}}

Hi T.,

I wouldn't worry so much about his thumb sucking. He'll eventually stop on his own. My son and daughter did at age 5 and 3. I, myself, sucked my thumb until I was in the 4th grade! LOL Trust me, there are A LOT of other things to worry so try not to lose sleep over this one. ~les

Hi T., I had the same problem with my daughter. Her dentist suggested a Thumguard when she was about 4. It basically covers the thumb and gets wrapped with a strap. That didn't work because she was still able to pull it out. So two months short of her seventh birthday (permanent 6-yr molars are required) her dentist affixed a "cage" called a fixed appliance in her mouth. She wore it for about 8 months and that cured this habit. In my daughter's case, she was already pulling her bone out and deforming her mouth, so I didn't have much choice. The cost was about $750.00 two years ago. Good Luck!

My daughter just turned 5 and we just got her to stop sucking her thumb. We've been telling her for years that when she stops sucking her thumb she can have a bike and that's been the extent of our discussions. Then I noticed that she was really only sucking her thumb to soothe herself if she was upset or tired. I did a little research and this is what ended up working...I was very casual (actually folding laundry when I told her I wanted to talk to her about being a big girl) and I explained that sucking her thumb was a dirty thing to do. That she let germs in her mouth that could make her sick and it really wasn't fair to her other fingers that she only sucked her thumb. I told her that whenever she was ready, that I was willing to help her stop sucking her thumb. That we could put band-aids on her thumb to help her remember. I told her it was really her decision and she just needed to let me know she was ready. When she did stop sucking her thumb, we would go to the store and she could pick out any bike she wanted. An hour or so later, she said she wanted me to help her. I got some large bandages from the dollar store and we put it on her thumb. The first night was the worst because she couldn't get to sleep. My parents were actually babysitting and in on everything so my mom laid with her for awhile then my dad laid with her and he fell asleep before she did. It literally took HOURS for her to fall asleep that first night. I wasn't sure it was worth all this trouble. But the next night, she said she thought she needed band-aids on both thumbs, and she fell asleep a bit faster. Those were really the roughest days. After that, she wanted band-aids on all her fingers, she even wore them to school a few days. Then, one day, she took them off at school and a few days later she stopped asking for band-aids at all. I gave her a treat to McDonald's about a week and a half in without sucking her thumb. We waited a total of a little more than a month to go buy her Limited Edition Princess bike. She has never looked back on sucking her thumb and it made her appreciate her bike more than anything else we've ever given her. Aside from the investment in band-aids (I really do recommend the dollar store because my daughter when through them fast! We got the ugly, basic ones for her thumb so it didn't become something cute she was doing) and two late nights, it wasn't that hard. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Good luck. My son sucked his thumb until he graduated high school. It was just a comfort, and a habit, and even the kids in his classroom making funof him didn't stop him. It was an unconscious thing after a while, I doubt he even knew he was doing it. I tried putting that hot stuff on it and everything. nothing worked. I feel your pain! ha ha!

Oh I feel your son's pain. Giving up a thumb is super hard. I myself sucked my thumb until I was 12!!
My friend had a little girl who was super attached to her thumb and they used thumb guards (see the website link http://www.leapsandbounds.com/catalog/product.jsp?product... )
She said they were super helpful. They are clear plastic and the only part you can really see is the colored band that attaches them to the wrist.
I know your son will succeed (it can be done). Stick at it and maybe the thumb guards will help (they seem expensive but they are plastic and can be washed over and over!!!) I wish they had them when i was young...

Hope this helps

T.-
Our son was almost 3 and still sucking his thumb. People kept telling us to get the "bitter spray". I kept looking for it but could never find it. One day at the grocery store I was looking for nail polish and saw this stuff called "Stop Bite". It was hanging on a bottom shelf area. When I picked it up it said it was to help with nail biting and thumb sucking. It is a clear polish that goes on the nail and when it dries it is very unpleasant to taste and the taste stays with them for a while. The bottle says to reapply a few times a day, but that is not necessary (unless they are picking it off). I put it on my nail to see how bad it really tasted, and it was bitter and the taste stayed for several days with only one application. Even after the polish came off the nail still had some of the bitter taste. It worked for our son with one application. We had a friend of ours try it with a 4 1/2 year old and it worked for them as well. It took a day or two, but then the thumb sucking was a thing of the past. YEAH!

Good luck!
D.

This may not help one bit, but...My brother sucked his thumb until he was 27 years old, and he is the only one of my 5 siblings including myself that has perfectly straight and white teeth......

T., our first son sucked his thumb. We were told it would ruin his teeth and alot of other myths. We did try various methods from putting hot sauce on this thumb to talking. He quit on his own, after we stopped making it an issue. He's a awesome man now, and I look back at those days with a smile. Don't worry, he'll quit when he's ready.

T.--My son just turned nine in December. Just this month he told me he didn't need to suck his thumb anymore after sucking his thumb since he was an infant. I never tried to break him of the habit, thinking that he would work it out on his own and he did. The last few years, (since seven) he would only do it at night to go to bed, just like your son! I really always thought that the bigger deal I made of it the more of a hang-up he'd have...I just had faith in him to move on and he did, I bet your little guy can do the same. I am a single mom so I pick my battles, well I know we all do!!

Good luck!

My child too was a thumb sucker - an in uterus switch-hitter! At a dental appointment when she was 6 years old the dentist gently talked to her in detail about when she was a baby and the need to suck and now that she was growing up she didn't need to suck her thumb anymore.He also told her that on her next visit in six months if she hadn't broken the habit on her own, he would put an appliance in her mouth so she couldn't. I think the thought of an appliance motivated her more than anything. Sometimes I'd catch her watching TV with a sofa pillow hiding her face (thinking she was fooling us). She did break the habit fairly easily before that next dental check-up. Prior I'd tried bitter nail polish for nail bitters and that only frustrated and angered her.

It's important for your son's mouth and teeth development to stop the habit. Good luck!

My grandson sucked his thumb and it concerned me more than his parents. When he got to be about 5, I guess, we realized that he only sucked his thumb when he was holding his favorite stuffed animal. This was a small "buddy" that easily fit in his hand so that he could still suck his thumb. His mom made an agreement with him at first that he could only have this buddy at night when he went to bed. During the day the buddy had to stay on his dresser. Eventually, he gave it up entirely.

Good luck with this one. You can always throw a pacifier away, but can't cut off the thumb!

JoyceP
www.prepareandsucceed.com

My daughter did the same thing, and her doctor advised me to just leave her alone. His advice was to wait until she started school because he felt the other kids would tease her and she would quit on her own. Either that or something else worked, because she stopped sucking her thumb when she was ready - probably works like a "security blanket" that a lot of kids hold on to.

My oldest sonis 37 years old now , but this worked for him when he was 7. We took him to the dentist and the dr. said that if he didn't stop his teeth were going to be buck. He mostly just did it when he was going to sleep or very upset. My Mom knitted him some wool mittens , so he put those on. I think it was like mohair or something like that , so you wouldn't want it in your mouth. He wore those to bed for about 2 weeks and the habit was broken.
Hope this helps,
RobinJ

Mavela Stop - this is the product we used on our daughter. You paint it on the nail like clear nail polish. Wella, no more thumb sucking. Tried everything else the Dr. recommended, nothing worked. This did! Good luck.

My daughter quit on her own when she was 9! We tried everything - nail biting solution, hot sauce, you name it we put it on her thumbs but she didn't care, she would suck anyway. She also didn't care if other kids teased her - she would do it at school if she got tired. I know this isn't much consolation but it's our story and does show that it probably at least won't go on forever.

I sucked my thumb until I was about 12 years old.
Nothing my parents did helped.
I would do it where nobody could see me. In first grade I hid under my coat in the back of the room. The nuns would catch me from time to time and crack my knuckles. I did not stop.
Finally I decided on my own to give it up. Why ? I'm not certain.
As far as I can tell there were no disastrous results, just embarrassment at that time !

I will be 62 next month, and I remember my thumb sucking days very well, it's a funny memory now, not a horrifying experience.

Good luck and best wishes.

My son was a thumb sucker with a blanket. Does he also use a blanket or toy when he sucks his thumb. If so you can start talking about getting rid of the toy/blanket. I talked to him about being a big boy and not needing the blanket and putting it away for when another baby would need it. He didn't go for it at first but eventually he decided it was time and asked me to put it away. Once my son didn't have that he no longer sucked his thumb.

I agree with the "leave it alone" theory. It is their security blanket. The more you keep pointing it out and making a big deal out of it - the more insecure he will feel about it. He will stop on his own.

My child sucked her thumb when she went to bed until 4th grade. My pediatrician said not to push the issue because it would make it worse. He said he never knew anyone who went to college who sucked his/her thumb. She stopped on her own. Talk to your pediatrician!!

Hi T....from my experience, I was a thumb sucker until 8 or so myself - it was the best thing that I had ever discovered...but I left it on my own when I got braces...it just didn't taste the same - so if you are worried - don't be...he will leave it naturally when the time comes...I would just let him enjoy it! :)
S.

My daughter was the same way. We encouraged her to stop with incentives and she did for a while, but she started up again after a couple of months. I think it was because she usually did it when she was tired and would do it in her sleep. What we finally did was take her to the pediatric dentist and she put a type retainer in the top of her mouth. This made it practically impossible for her to suck her thumb, at least comfortably. Since she really did want to stop this little extra gadget helped her. We kept it on for about 5-6 months. She hasn't sucked her thumb since we took it off over a year and a half ago.

I wish i had some advice for you on this issue, but i dont. I will tell you, however, try to get a handle on it now. My sister is 28 going on 29 and still sucks her thumb. Not only when she is tired or going to sleep , but all the time. She says she has no plans to stop- ever. She was given up for adoption at birth, i am hoping now that we found her she will feel secure enough to finally give it up. I see the way people look at her that dont know her and her situation and i dont wish those looks of disgust and being made fun of on any one. I have heard of using tobasco sauce but that just seems cruel to me. They also have some kind of fingernail polish to help kids try to stop biting their nails, maybe that would work. But anyhow, good luck with your situation. I am sure in the end you will have a positive outcome.

Do they ever quit? Same problem. I gave my daughter a paci at night. it seems to help a little. she is not so reliant on either so she cannot be consistent. Her teeth are not a problem, she does however, pull her hair out with the other hand so we really wanted THAT to stop.
Good luck.

i sucked my thumb until i was about 11. i remember my parents trying everything!!! they put foul tasting polish on it, wrapped it up, tapped a glove to my hand, and had a big metal thing stuck to the top of my mouth by an orthodontist. nothing worked(i just sucked it anyway) until i became too embarrassed to do it anymore. once my friends noticed, i quit.

I had the same problem with my daugther. I found a product called Thumb that is a purple ink dye that you rub on the thumbs. It has a bad taste to it when they go to put their thunbs in their mouth, and it colors their thumb a bright purple. It's harmless, but at that age they become self aware of the attetion the purple dye is bringing to them, and before you know it the thumb sucking stops.....due to the fact they dont want to be embrassed or tease.

Good Luck.if you try it I hope it works for you too......