How to Help a Child Stop Thumb Sucking
Her little thumb tucked in her mouth looks adorable when she's little, but over time thumb sucking can become a problem. Not only do older children sometimes endure teasing about thumb sucking, they could end up with dental problems, such as misalignment of the teeth and improper growth of the mouth, according to the American Dental Association. Unlike a pacifier that you can take away, your child's thumb is always available and goes naturally to her mouth when she needs comfort. Finding ways to break her habit takes patience and trial and error.
Things You'll Need
- Chart
Instructions
Monitor your child's thumb sucking to get a sense of his patterns. Note common times when he sucks his thumb, such as when he gets upset, feels uncomfortable or needs to relax. If you know when he commonly pops his thumb in his mouth, you can focus on those times to break the habit. Cut back on stressful situations that cause your child to thumb suck. For example, keep home life calm instead of tense or upsetting when possible to reduce the situations that cause the need for soothing. Tell your child you're going to work with her to stop sucking on her thumb. Let her know why. Say, "See those pearly white teeth in your mouth? All that thumb sucking can make them grow the wrong way. Let's work together to cut back on sucking your thumb so you can keep your smile straight." The Ask Dr. Sears website suggests giving yourself a buck toothed appearance to show what might happen, as well as pointing out any appearance differences in the thumb she sucks frequently. Point out times when your child is sucking his thumb. Instead of yelling at him or making fun of him, give a calm, casual reminder. Say, "Did you notice that you're sucking your thumb?" Thumb sucking likely is a natural response so making him aware of it helps him stop. Offer alternatives to thumb sucking. Teach her to play with a favorite toy when she gets upset about something. Keep her hands busy with activities such as crafts or games so her thumb isn't as likely to make it to her mouth. Praise your child when he doesn't suck his thumb, especially at times when he normally needs the sucking action. If you notice he isn't sucking his thumb at bedtime when he normally does, for example, say, "Look at you! You're not sucking your thumb at all. I knew you could do it." Use a chart to motivate your child to kick the thumb-sucking habit. Give him a sticker on the chart for each day or part of the day when he doesn't suck his thumb. For an older child, the Ask Dr. Sears website suggests a chart that tracks how many times he sucks his thumb in a day. When he takes ownership of the tracking, he may be more motivated to cut down so the marks on the chart decrease.
