How can I stop my daughter from sucking her thumb?

Question

My daughter has been sucking her thumb since she was less than a month old. Now she is almost 2 and doesn't get it out of her mouth, she is otherwise a very happy kid. I have put a band-aid on it, she takes it off, salt, she just licks it off, what can I do. I am afraid her teeth ill look funny.

Answer 1

You can try having her wear a little pair of dress gloves, you know, the kind you wear on Easter or to a wedding.  They are close fitting, so they aren't to difficult to do other things with.  Start during the day and break that habit first.  Take the gloves off during meals, bedtime , or any other time when she doesn't usually suck her thumb.

The bandaids did not work for our girls, and neither did the yucky nail polish.  The gloves were the best thing along with rewards.

Then, when she is broken of the habit during the day, you can start working on night time.

Also, I would start a little reward system.  This worked GREAT for one of our girls, but she was considerably older than your little girl.  We put 20 jellybeans in a jar, up high, but where she could see them.  Every time she sucked her thumb, we took a jelly bean out (and Mommy got to eat that one).  At the end of the day, right before she brushed her teeth before bedtime, we let her eat whatever was left in the jar.  We try to limit candy at our house, so this was a BIG deal.

You could do the same with stickers or whatever would motivate your particular little sweetie.  With this method, our daughter quit in 3 days and we had been trying EVERYTHING for 3 years and I kid you not!

Good luck and God bless!

Mom of 6

Answer 2

My daughter sucked her thumb right up until grade one. Finally I took her to the dentist and they put a 'roller' on the roof of her mouth. It filled up the place in her mouth where her thumb goes. I got this covered under my dental plan as thumb suckers acutally are pushing their bottom teeth out and thus the teeth grow crooked and than the child will need braces when older. So it was all covered. She stopped sucking her thumb almost immediately. A year later at her check up, they took it out.

Answer 3

You should have never allowed her to suck her thumb in the first place.  I always believe that giving a baby a binky is better cuz when you want to finally take it away you can.  You can't take away their thumb!

Nevertheless, you have and now you are in a dilemma.  I guess you could try something harsh like hot sauce.

Good luck.

Answer 4

My daughter is the same way she has been sucking her thumb even before she came out. She will be two tomorrow. I have tried the bandaide and she rips it off. I have talked to the dentist and she said it won't affect her teeth until her baby teeth start coming out.

I wouldn't worrie about it but talk to your daughters dentist if you are worried.

Good luck

Answer 5

Hot sauce? I don't know. the band aid worked for me. (That and seeing my brother with an appliance in his mouth due to thumb sucking...)

Answer 6

chili or hot sauce

Answer 7

She feels lonley and in the habit of day dreaming like my child.She stopped in when she found new friends, yes, just in a day.The baby need someone next to it.

Answer 8

I wouldn't worry about it until it does start affecting her teeth.  My daughter sucked her pointer and middle finger up until she was 5.  Actually, she still occasionally does it.  Nothing I tried made her stop, so I just ignored the behavior and it has pretty much completely stopped.  The fingernail polish didn't work, sprinkling pepper on her fingers didn't work, bandaids didn't work, etc.

Answer 9

I don't think  you should worry about it, she's only 2.  She's still a baby really.  If you send her to preschool, she'll see other children who are not sucking their thumb and will probably stop.  I'm a preschool teacher and the thumb suckers  that I have had so far will hardly ever suck their thumb in front of their classmates.  She'll grow out of it when she is ready.  Its too early to worry.

Answer 10

For those of you suggesting hot sauce, wth are you thinking??  This is a 2yo girl, not a puppy.  d**n, I wouldn't even be able to do that to a puppy :(

I had seen this item a while back http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/prod...

I had no clue it was $75 when I just looked for it again, but it really seems like it would work.  She won't be able to remove the bracelet like she can a band-aid.

Good Luck!

Answer 11

i would leave it, shell stop when shes ready...i sucked my thumb until i was 13, then i needed braces (bc i had oral surgery, not bc i sucked my thumb). my husband did as well. my daughter sucks her thumb now, and intend to allow her to do so until she is ready to stop.

Answer 12

put tabasco on it or else it will flatten

Answer 13

there is bitter nail polish for that you can buy. it will stop it.