I can't get my 6 year old to stop sucking her thumb,AAahhhhhh?

Question

I've tried rubbing hot stuff on it,Now she likes hot stuff,I tried buying this sftuff called "thumb" but she doesn't mind the taste,I've read all about "just keep reminding her to stop but it's not like I'm stareing at her 24/7,Has anybody used anything else that works?

Answer 1

tie a sock to her hand

Answer 2

most children suck their thumbs as a way to relieve stress or as a sign of fear

Always keep her calm and attempt to remind her about her thumb. Show her some pictures of people with overbites

and explain that, that is what sucking your thumb does.

When i was a young child  my mother put cooking mitts on my hands that kept me from having urges to suck my thumb

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Its a comfort measure for her.

Let her do it... but tell her only in her room (her own privacy). She will out grow it.

My sister did.... when she was 11. Its not that bad.

Answer 4

Put some Tabasco sauce on her thumb. My mom used to do it to me. Tastes nasty, but it made me stop

Answer 5

i have never had that issue maybe you should try putting rubbing alcohol on it once in awhile very nasty or maybe the clear finger nail polish that people use to stop biting their nails very nasty and seems to work for most.

Answer 6

I sucked my thumb til i was 10 and m parents put hot pepper on my thumb, chili sauce on it, sour stuff nothing worked they even told me i would have buck teeth but nothing stopped me I eventually grew out of it and your child will too.

Answer 7

Is she sucking her thumb all the time or just at night? If it's just at night don't worry about it - she'll stop when she's ready - if it's all the time talk to her doctor and see what he suggests.

Answer 8

I had this same problem and I try everything known to man and nothing really worked except taking him to the dentist and them add a thumb sucking retainer. And it works my sons teeth are beautiful. But if you want to know why he sucks his fingers. I was told that when my son was a baby he had the urge to suck more than most babies and that he needed the sucking for soothing. I bet your son is most calm when is sucking his fingers. Most children find it comforting but it cost  parents the most.

Answer 9

MmMmm.. Yes but it can give you warts and kids arnt to great with pain...  maybe try putting something that soaks into her skin thats not harmfull but tasts foul onto hur thumb.. Or maybe its just a phase my little siter went through the same Thing lolz. Kids!.

Answer 10

i would put nail polish all over it, and if it doesnt work, try vinegar.

also threaten her about buck teeth, it should do the trick.

tape her hands behind her back. no, im just kidding. =]

Answer 11

My daughter sucked her thumb and when she was 5 the orthodontist put a thumb guard in her mouth. It is a permanent appliance that is connected to the back teeth that blocks the thumb from going all the way in. She wore it for almost a year and that was 4 years ago. She does not suck her thumb anymore but will be getting braces in a few years to fix the damage from thumb sucking.

Answer 12

How about lemon juice, the sour taste might make her associate thumbsucking with bitterness.

Answer 13

There is this gismo called the thumb guard and the child wears it on the thumb sucking hand. Do a google or yahoo search for it. I think they are kind pricey though.

http://www.thumbguard.net/english/ourpro...

http://www.thumbguard.net/

http://www.myspecialshirt.com/thumbsucki...

Answer 14

If she's determinded she'll keep sucking her thumb till her thumb falls off. I sucked mine for along time until my Dad threatened to beat my ***, lol, he never was mean to me, but the fact that he scared me so bad I stopped LOL! It's just a thought...

Answer 15

rub balsamic vinegar on it...

Answer 16

thum worked for my kid for about a month and caught her sucking it tonight so used it again keep trying find something she doesn't like she will get embarrased for it someday

Answer 17

Does your 6 yr old like lemons?  My father used to tell me how he broke me from a pacifier by soaking it in lemon juice.  Unfortunately today I hate lemons.  That could be why :).  Maybe if you try something you know she doesn't like and use it as something to put on her thumb or wrap her thumb in.  Or you could try to negotiate with a give & take deal with her.  Allow her more time watching a favorite show or playing a favorite game or give her something she likes that's inexpensive if she doesn't suck her thumb for a certain amount of time gradually increasing the time and of course taking away things she likes when she strays, sort of like training her in the acceptable behavior you want to see.  Start out slow and reasonable then gradually increase.

Answer 18

Every time she sucks her thumb, look at her. Give her that, "evil, angry mom look" keep looking at her, don't say a word, just look at her.

If that doesn't work, put NON-ACETONE nail polish remover on her thumbs, it is guaranteed to taste bad, is hard to wash off, and as long as it's non-acetone, it won't hurt her.

Answer 19

i know what you are going though.. my brother sucked his thumb until he was almost 12. we tried everything. but i will tell you why he stopped he was going down a slide and sliced his thumb open so he was so grossed out that he would not put it back in his mouth. so what I'm trying to say i think when they are ready to give it up they will. hope this helps.

good luck

Answer 20

i think that what you should do is you should tell her like if you don't stop sucking your thumb and then take away one of her privileges and i think that will work.

Answer 21

This may sound counter-productive, but ignore it.  Pointing it out makes it harder to stop.  She probably only sucks it when she's stressed or concentrating.  Leave her alone.  In time, she'll learn that it's embarrassing, and she won't do it around her friends.

After all, a lot of people have nervous habits that are a lot grosser then that.

Answer 22

pull the thumb out while she's asleep and as soon as you can get a retainer from the orthodontist.  plus if she has a favorite toy take it away from her. the last worked best for me!

Answer 23

no wonder!  he thinks that you are messing eith him and so he keeps on doing it.  he thinks that you are kidding around and so you try to add other things to make him top when he thinks that you are playing with him.

Answer 24

I use to suck my thumb when I was little until I was about seven. My mom had a chart and if I would go a day without sucking my thumb I got a star and if I got so many stars I got prize and within a couple weeks I quit sucking it all togather. The key is make it something you can help her stop in a postive way like my mom did.

Answer 25

If taste isn't a deterrent, try texture. Make her wear those little stretchy gloves around. They don't hold in much heat, but they will be furry and nasty in her mouth. Plus, she will be embarrassed to wear them all the time so it will be added incentive to stop. You could try giving her sugar-free gum to keep her mouth busy, too if she's careful enough to be trusted with it. My bf and one of my friends bite their nails, and in months of trying to stop they haven't gotten very far. It's hard for her, Mom.

Answer 26

put her in timeout when she does it...you have to be persistent though...tell her she's a big girl now and big girls don't suck their thumbs...reward her when she goes for lenghty times without doing it.

Answer 27

You can get a mouth piece put in that stops her from sucking her thumb... You get it through the orthodontists office.

Answer 28

Time is all it takes, she's got what Freud referred to as oral fixation, its normal for some kids to go through, it's better that she gets over it early rather than give it up now and have her return to it later and become a heavy smoker.

Answer 29

i stopped sucking my thumb when i was about 7.

and my cuzin stopped when she was 12

just give it time..

she'll eventually stop

Answer 30

she will get over it. i did when i was 8 but my thumb now looks different than the other one, the lines arent strait anymore like my normal thumb