How to Stop an Older Child From Sucking Their Thumb

As infants, many children start sucking their thumb as a way to comfort themselves. Unfortunately the thumb-sucking often becomes a habit that continues on into older childhood during times of boredom or anxiety. According to WebMD.com, if a child is still using this form of comfort at age 4 or 5 it is time for parents to start taking actions that will encourage the extinction of the behavior. While most children won't go to college still sucking their thumb, it is best to try and get them to stop long before then.

Things You'll Need

  • Stuffed animal
  • Soft blanket
  • Small prizes, such as stickers or books
  • Large prizes

Instructions

    • 1
      Tell a child sucking her thumb may result in extra dental work.

      Discuss the consequences. An older child is able to rationalize and have a discussion of the consequences of thumb-sucking. Remind the child that her hands pick up germs from anything she touches, and when she puts her thumb in her mouth, those germs could give her a cold or flu. In addition, KidsHealth.com states that thumb-sucking also causes teeth to shift, resulting in possible orthodontic work in older childhood years.

    • 2
      Bedtime should be the last hurdle in giving up the thumb.

      Limit thumb-sucking to bedtime. This soothing behavior will not go away instantly so, at first ,attempt to limit the places a child can suck his thumb. The hardest time to give up thumb-sucking for most children is when trying to fall asleep, so discuss with the child that it is temporarily acceptable to suck his thumb there, but other places he will be expected to find some other way to cope.

    • 3
      A child may need help becoming aware of his habit.

      Make the child aware of the behavior. Because thumb-sucking is a habit from infancy, most children are not even aware they are doing it. When not in bed, point out when the child has his thumb in his mouth so that he develops an awareness of the problem. If the situation is one where the child could become embarrassed around friends, decide on a code word that will let the child know he has his thumb in his mouth.

    • 4
      Offer an alternative to sucking a thumb, such as a soft stuffed animal.

      Find another activity to replace sucking the thumb. Children need to find something to replace the habit so that when they are riding in the car or watching television they have something to do with their hands besides putting them in their mouth. Maybe a child would like a soft stuffed animal to hold onto, or a favorite blanket to cuddle up in. Looking at a book or squishing a soft ball may distract the child until the moment passes.

    • 5
      Offer a fun reward as incentive to stop sucking a thumb.

      Reward the child's progress. It is important that the child not feel shameful about sucking her thumb, and that the parent focuses on positive strides in the right direction. Parents can offer small prizes for improvement, such as not sucking a thumb while watching television. Offer bigger incentives, such as a trip to an amusement park or a new toy for a child who decides to give up the habit entirely.

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