The popularity of the thumb as the preferred digit to suck might suggest that it’s more flavorful than, say, the index finger. But the preference for thumbs appears to be an accidental choice, resulting from the thumb coming into contact with the mouth during random movements made by an infant.
Some kids also suck their fingers, hands, or their entire fists in addition to, or instead of, their thumbs. Most thumb-suckers are younger kids. In fact, anywhere from a quarter to half of 2- to 4-year-olds suck their thumbs.
Many kids suck their thumbs to calm and comfort themselves. But according to the American Dental Association, “thumb-sucking after the permanent teeth come in,may cause problems with the proper growth of the mouth and alignment of the teeth. It can also cause changes in the roof of the mouth.” Along with dental problems, problems like staph and other types of finger infections may occur. Poor self-esteem is frequently a side effect of peer criticism as thumb-sucking makes children prime targets for bullies.
Coping With Your Child’s Habit
The good news is that most habits disappear, usually by the time a child reaches school age, because the child no longer needs it or outgrows it. But if you think it’s time to help your child break a bad dental and social habit, consider the following advice:
Calmly point out what you don’t like about the behavior and why. This approach can be used with kids as young as 3 or 4 to help increase awareness of the problem. Say something like, “I wish you wouldn’t suck your thumb because it will bend your teeth and doesn’t look nice. Could you try to stop doing that?” Most important, the next time you see the hand-to-mouth contact, don’t scold or lecture. Punishment, ridicule, or criticism could cause the behavior to increase.
If your child is old enough for thumb-sucking to bother his teeth, he is old enough to understand why this habit harms his teeth. In front of a mirror, let your child rub his index finger over the protruding upper teeth, and put his fingertip into the gap between the upper and lower teeth during a bite. Imitate a bucktooth appearance (like Bugs Bunny), showing your child what can happen to thumbsucked teeth. Also, point out to your child that her sucked thumb does not look as nice as her other one.
Involve your child in the process of breaking the habit. If your 5-year-old comes home crying from kindergarten because the other kids made fun of his thumb-sucking, understand that this is a way of asking you for help. Parents can ask their kids what they think they could do to stop the habit or if they want to stop the habit. Come up with some ways to work on breaking the unwanted habit together.
According to famous pediatrician Dr. Sears (William Sears, M.D.), “with the child over four, you can use the principle of a competing habit. Show your child how to fold his arms, squeeze his thumb, or some other gesture that he enjoys instead of sucking his thumb. A trick that I’ve used successfully in my office is the game of hide the thumb: ‘As soon as you feel like sucking your thumb, wrap your fingers over your thumb into a fist.’ If it’s a bedtime habit, suggest hiding the thumb under the pillow,” says Dr. Sears.
Suggest alternative behaviors. For example, instead of saying, “Don’t suck your fingers,” try saying, “Let’s wiggle our fingers.” Or for an older child, “How about doodling instead? I bet you could create some cool art.” This will increase awareness of the habit and may serve as a reminder. To occupy your child’s attention, try providing a distraction, like helping you in the kitchen or working on a craft.
Dr. Sears goes on to say that parents should “keep thumbs busy. Bored little thumbs often seek their friend, the mouth, when there is nothing better to do. Busy the bored child. When you see the thumb heading toward the mouth, distract and redirect the child into an activity that keeps both hands busy.”
Try to remember that a lot of suckers do so to sooth themselves, so try offering alternative ways to relaxing, such as back or hand massages, quiet times, long walks, music, and slow, deep breathing or yoga.
Reward and praise self-control. For example, allow your little girl to use nail polish if she keeps her hands out of her mouth. Or every time your son refrains from sucking his thumb, reinforce the positive behavior by praising him and giving him a sticker or other small prize.
Be consistent in rewarding good behavior. If you fail to notice good behavior, it will disappear over time. The new, positive habit must be firmly established before the old one will disappear.
For the best success, it’s important that your child is also motivated to break the habit. And because habits take time to develop, they’re also going to take time to be replaced by alternative behavior, so be patient.
Courtesy of kidshealth.org and askdrsears.com.