What to do with a thumb sucker?

spendaholiceejit

DD is 20 months and has been an avid thumb sucker for her whole life. She's one of these babies who was always sucking their thumb on the ultra-sounds.When she popped out I tried to get her on to a dummy as I knew she was a bit 'Sucky' but she thoroughly disagreed with it.

Anyway, she's older now, and at this age I would have taken the dummy off my son. It worked well and he adjusted. But DD is obsessed with sucking her thumb. She is bucking her beautiful teeth so I need to act but I dont know what to do with it. I cant exactly take it off her. I pop it out of her mouth when she is asleep, but I go back in to check her and there it is, back in again.

Everyone goes "ohhh how cute" but it's getting to be a bit worrying for me now.

Bunny

me and my cousin still do it now, all be it not as often as we used to. I'm 26, she's 28 and our mums tried all sorts. I had a brace on my teeth, but I had 2 teeth missing completely so that didn't help and my cousin didn't need anything at all.
always said we were clever, as any other child could have their dummy taken away, our parents couldn't exactly hide our thumbs and they weren't willing to cut them off. lol
my mum used to smoke and she used to tell me to stop, but i always said it wasn't killing me like her smoking was.
I say Good Luck because you might have a tough battle on your hands

ailuro2

I think she's a bit young to understand reasoning.

Have you thought about 'reminder fluid' to make her thumb taste bad? Maybe something harmless that she doesn't like, lemon juice maybe? I bet they'd tell you exactly what's safe to use over on the old style board.

While she's so young it's hard to explain that sticking her fingers in her mouth will give her tummy upsets. Have you cinsidered waiting a bit till she's older?

Ladyshopper

My DD was exactly the same, and I tried a dummy but she much prefered her thumb.

She did kind of ween herself off her thumb in the day, and it became a bedtime only thing from quite a young age. However, it has affected her teeth and she has had a brace from the age of 10.

Before she could get the brace fitted we had to stop the thumb sucking, because she couldn't control it in bed, so painted on the stuff you can get from a chemist, and that eventually did the trick.

Your DD is obviously a bit young to explain all that to and reason with, but may be worth popping into a chemist and having a chat to see if there is any product that is suitable?

elisebutt65

I sucked my thumb and only stopped when I went to secondary as I realised it made me look a bit of a t*at!

However, it had absolutely no effect on my teeth and they are still lovely and straight - likewise my brother who used to suck his fingers

pigpen

2 of my sisters are thumb suckers (26 and 23) and their teeth are fine.. my children however that have never sucked their thumbs aren't looking too good!

You could try a fabric sticky plaster.. but TBH I wouldn't bother.. my youngest had a dummy until she was nearly 5.. if it makes them happy at this very young age why upset them?

Spendless

My neice only stopped sucking her thumb at 12, when she needed a brace due to her thumb sucking. I worried about my DD coming off her dummy as she was 3 and I was panicking about her teeth but my Dentist told me not to worry-just to make sure she was off it before her 2nd teeth came thru- which gives you quite a while to sort it.

bylromarha

My son is nearly 6 - got used to the vile thumb paint on stuff after 2 days and carried on sucking.

Plasters he picked off to suck.

OH threatens chilli oil on the thumb, but this will burn...I reckon rubbing an onion or lemon on his finger may be an option.

He knows he's ruining his teeth lining, but still likes it. Gap has appeared between his two front teeth already - still has his milk teeth, maybe when they fall out will be the best time to really tackle it again.

Have tried lots over the years since we wanted it to stop, but he has different ideas.

Will watch this thread with interest.

Sublime_2

I used to do it regularly until about 5, then just the occasional time (secretly but not consciously so) until about 8. I remember making a decision not to do it anymore, because I had a swollen pad of flesh on the back of my thumb.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Bucked teeth can be remedied if it came to that.

Frith

I sucked my thumb until I was 6, my brother and sister both did until they went to High School.

Does it really make children have buck teeth? None of us has wonky teeth at all.

Sublime_2

ACEY wrote: »

Does it really make children have buck teeth? None of us has wonky teeth at all.

It did for me. I had to wear braces for a couple of years. I have lovely straight teeth now though!