Tips to Break Thumbsucking!

How do you take something away from your child when it is connected to their body? thumbsucking poses many trials as a parent, however with diligence even this habit can be broken!

A mother of two young girls was convinced that children could be prevented from sucking their thumbs. She was sure of it. Her girls did not suck their thumbs, having been introduced to a pacifier as newborns. Now they were four and two and had totally given up the pacifier. It was easy. Parents who were unable to get their toddler off the thumb and pacifier were just not trying hard enough.

This mamma believed this to be fact; that is, until the arrival of her third child. The baby girl arrived in the world with a thumb sucking ‘monkey on her back’. Baby number three was bent on proving mom’s hypothesis wrong. In fact, before daughter number three was born, mom viewed, via the miracle of sonogram, her baby sucking her tiny thumb in the womb.

Even before she was developmentally able to maneuver her thumb to her mouth, she would not take the pacifier. Mom tried for months. Baby number three, began sucking her thumb and the attentive mom would carefully remove it from her mouth and insert the pacifier. It was to no avail, out it would come. Mom gave it up at ten months. She would have to deal with breaking the thumb sucking habit down the road sometime. The humbled mother found this proved to be no easy task.

With the help of their parents, children who suck their thumbs, must break the habit; but how? Before we discuss how, let me assure you, if you have a thumb sucker, he will give it up at some point. Most children stop between three and six years of age. Your child will not learn to drive with one hand while sucking the thumb on the other. So, relax. With persistence and patience you will help him drop the thumb sucking habit.

Children suck their thumbs for a couple of reasons; neither have anything to do with hunger. Children suck their thumbs for comfort, and because it is natural to them. Healthy babies have a natural suck reflux. It allows a baby to be fed without swallowing too much at one time. It keeps them from choking. You can imagine how difficult it would be to cease doing what comes natural. You will help your child do just that.

• Explain to your child the importance of dropping this bad habit.

1. Tell your child that sucking his thumb will harm his teeth. If he is to have handsome permanent teeth he must stop sucking his thumb, since doing so will eventually effect the formation and shape of his mouth and future teeth.

2. Talk to your child about germs on his hands. Everything that has been on his hands subsequently enters his mouth when he sucks his thumb.

3. Tell your child that if he is feeling stressed, instead of sucking his thumb he is to come to you for comfort.

• Establish rules for thumb sucking.
1. Limit times when your child can suck his thumb. Give him permission to suck his thumb, for instance, only when he is in his room or only at night and not in the presence of others.

2. Do not allow the child to perform certain tasks when he sucks his thumb; No cooking or baking with mom.

3. Take your child’s thumb, gently from his mouth when he is sucking his thumb. The child is sucks his thumb without even thinking about it. Removing it from his mouth will help him realize what he is doing, so that he can begin to break the habit.

• Encourage your child profusely.1. Catch your child when he is not sucking his thumb and praise him. Remind him that he is ‘such a big boy’. Tell him how proud you are that he is working hard at not sucking his thumb.

2. Encourage your child to stop by discouraging others to tease him about his habit. Cheer him on, and help him through his setbacks.

3. Reward him for significant progress; Perhaps a night out to a favored kid hot spot, or gifting him with an item for which he has an attraction.

Don’t give up. Your child may have started sucking his thumb overnight, but stopping will not come as quickly. You are your child’s greatest influence. Your persuasion and persistence will make a difference.