How do I get my son to stop sucking his thumb?

Question

My son is 5 going on 6 in a few days. And he won't stop sucking his thumb. I have tryed everything I can think of. I need to get him to stop before he mess his pretty teeth up. Plz help me.. I am willing to try anything as long as it is safe.

Answer 1

buy organic nail polish that perposlly tasted bad

Answer 2

my mom telled me a lie and said that there was a sort of water from ur body that if a kept on suckin of any part of my body i would go blind......    My mom was mean know that i think about it  and i still dont need glasses so in ur face mom

Answer 3

I sucked my thumb at night until I was 8 and then it just stoped one day. My mom tried to break me of the habit but I couldnt seem to stop. I didnt need braces. and my sister sucked her thumb until she was 10 and has PERFECT teeth

I know when my uncle was little my grandma kept sneaking tobasco sauce on his thumb when he was sleeping and that stoped him.  I dont usually agree with bribbig but you could always try to bribe him with a cool toy he really wants if he can give up the habit set a time to it like if you dont suck your thumb for a month you can get this..... and then get a special calendar and stickers. For every day he doesnt suck his thumb let him put a sticker on the calander. When 30 days in a row is up let him get the toy and chances are by that time he wont even think about sucking his thumb because so much time has gone by

Answer 4

ignore the behavior and it will eventually go away.

Answer 5

there is a solution that you put on his thumb that tastes discusting and when he does suck on it you should also video tape it cause he will get a sour face, When I was younger I had to use it on some of my horny girlfriends.

Answer 6

One of my boys sucked his two fingers. He stopped on his own at age 7. they grow out of it.

Answer 7

take him to the dentist they can give him a device that makes it hard for him to be comfy with his thumb in his mouth it is like a retainer but it blocks being able to suck the thumb some how,

Answer 8

er nail biting stuff or glue on his fingers then if he sucks his finger it will taste nasty or will harm him

Answer 9

My sister sucked her fingers until she was 11 years old.

If hes seeing a dentist and the dentist hasn't been concerned about the position of his teeth they are probably fine.

Try seeing if there is another security thing you can get him to replace thumb sucking. Try having him wear a glove when hes in the times that he sucks his thumb.

Otherwise just let it go. My sister never got buck teeth from finger sucking.

Answer 10

make ur son wear a loose pant so he will b busy in holding his pany and wont suck his thumb its easy method

Answer 11

Tell him that big boys don't suck their thumbs. Only babies do that. Then, if you catch him doing it, tell him NO and get him busy with something else. If it still continues, use this method as a last resort: Get some regular white school glue and dab some on his thumbs. While it is still wet, sprinkle some cayenne pepper on it and when it dries, if he tries to suck it his thumb will be spicy and he'll stop.

Answer 12

if you have him where gloves it will remind him to stop.

Answer 13

Try explaining what could happen to his teeth, he may try to stop himself.

Never yell at him for doing it, because it is his sense of security.

There are products at the pharmacy, however I don't think they work because all he has to do is wash it off.

Just continue checking on him at night before you go to bed and take it out. They tend to only suck their thumb until they fall asleep.

He will grow out of it, some sooner than others.

Answer 14

I dont know the name of the stuff but there is a liquid you can put on his fingers that tastes bitter,, I think its marketed for nail biting though.   ask your pharmacist and they should know the name.

Answer 15

Well. I did it until I was 9 Because when i was a baby my parents forced me to do it cause it was cute... A really bad habit they taught me. I've never had braces && I have perfect teeth. Its just, I tried everything back then nothing worked. Just everyone made fun of me and I eventually stopped....

Chewing alot of gum helped me when i was stopping back then.

Answer 16

Put clear or colored nail polish on it, a liquid that he doesn't like (lemon juice) Say your thumb is going to fall off if you keep on sucking on it. or ask him why he sucks his thumb and if says I don't know then say if you don't know why then there's no point in doing it. then see what he says.

Hope this helps,

would rather be deer hunting

Answer 17

Have you tried something like onion juice, or a hot sauce that isn't dangerously hot like "red hot".  Anything that he hates the flavor of that can be pureed and put on his thumb? Maybe olive oil. The possibilities of kitchen foods and additive that are safe are endless. Just pick one that he hates.  They also have an all natural Clove Oil.  That tastes yucky! But it is all natural and a drop on his thumb would probably stop him sucking his thumb for at least a couple hours if not longer. I got that from the health food store.

Answer 18

Try this

Make him wear an apron with flowers and frilly things on. Then make him do extra chores and jobs in it. If he does good he gets sweets, if he does bad he gets (I dont know!) coffe? A tickle? Something he wont like or reacacts with dis-taste to.

Or, try putting bright pink nail polish on his thumb. It tastes bad and it is embarrasing! Tell him it will come of when he stops sucking!

Edit: trust me, I had a friend who would not stop and had all 10 finger nails painted pink and toe nails red. Open toe high heels and a nice, tall beehive wig. He stopped, cos' he had to wear that every time he brushed his teeth, went to a dentist and was nearly enterd for a photo competition in it!

Answer 19

Please don't force your child to quit doing something that gives him comfort.  My mom tried all those things with me (everything that posters have described) and none of it worked.  I sucked my thumb until I was 10 and then gave it up one day.  When it becoems socailly inappropriate to do it in public, he will start to curtail it somewhat.  Until his friends start making fun though, just let him do it.

Answer 20

I remember my friend's little brother always sucked his thumb and his mom wanted him to stop so she told her that if he keeps sucking his thumb it's going to get yellow.. soo just tell him things that will make him WANT TO stop sucking on his thumb.

Answer 21

I sucked my thumb until I was about 7.  My parents made me wear wool mittens, safety-pinned to my pj's. and that's how I stopped.  I personally think it's mean to do that, or put some nasty tasting stuff on their thumbs.  My teeth were fine.  My twin sons are almost 7, and they are constant thumb-suckers!  Although their teacher has never mentioned it to me, so maybe they are self-concious about doing it there.  I just figure they will grow out of it when they are ready.

Answer 22

I can tell you form first hand experience (a former thumb sucker until I was 7), that there probably isn't any way to make him stop.  My parents tried it all with me, I used to hide behind a chair just to suck my thumb in peace.  One day i just gave it up (still remember that moment).  For whatever reason he still needs it, and he will stop when he is ready.  I also did not have any dental repercussions from all of that thumb sucking...straight teeth and never needed braces.  Good luck.