Post by timorousbeastie on Feb 15, 2019 11:11:39 GMT -5
DD told me this morning that she wants to stop sucking her thumb by the time she's 6. Granted, she just turned 5 last week, so she's given herself a whole year, but considering she previously told me she wouldn't quit until she turned 14, I want to jump on it while she's interested.
What have you used to help break the thumb sucking habit? I'm going to get the mavala stop nail polish. Any book suggestions, or other tips? TIA!
I was going to suggest that nail polish, but also maybe add an incentive that she can get a grown up manicure with you if she goes X days without sucking? I think that would be a fun treat.
I was going to suggest that nail polish, but also maybe add an incentive that she can get a grown up manicure with you if she goes X days without sucking? I think that would be a fun treat.
She already knows she can't paint her nails until she stops, but maybe the promise of a real manicure might be a good incentive for her. Thanks!
She found a toy she was interested in, I told her I’d buy it once she went 2 weeks without sucking her thumb, and that was that. I had to remind her a lot the first two weeks but by week 3 I didn’t have to remind her at all and she never relapsed.
My sister had those metal nubs cemented behind both of her daughter's front teeth when they were around 1st grade. Kicked the habit instantly and neither suffered emotionally from the ordeal. We both sucked our thumbs until we were about 10/12 and stretched our upper jaw. Definitely a habit that can have longterm damage. Not only can it shift teeth, but it puts constant pressure/tension on bone. I wish my parents had done more to get me to stop. No amount of orthodontia will ever align my jaw.
I had a patient a few years ago. Late teens, early 20s, cant quite recall. I walked in her room to check on her and she was sleeping, and sucking her thumb. I was really surprised that anyone would suck their thumb that long... I totally though it was something that one just... grew out of.
Ds is 2.5 and this thread is bumming me out. I had hopes of stopping him in the next year or two (how??) but ugh.
Me too and DD1 is almost 4. 😭 H has recently been up her butt about stopping. I should show him this thread to get him to back off. I sucked my thumb until I was 5 I think and my mom says nothing worked until I decided to stop.
Ds is 2.5 and this thread is bumming me out. I had hopes of stopping him in the next year or two (how??) but ugh.
My sister got one of those thumb guard things for my oldest niece and she stopped very quickly.
Was it a contraption for in her mouth? That's what I had. I didn't stop sucking my thumb until I was probably 10 or so. They put a device in my mouth with a little roller bead on the roof of my mouth. It prevented me from getting my thumb into the right spot and bead was helpful for distracting myself. It's the only thing that worked. My parents tried all kinds of stuff, but none of it worked (bitter apple, sock over the hand, etc.).
isabel and sunflower17 , it was just a simple piece of fabric that slid over her thumb and then attached to her wrist like a bracelet. I’m surprised she didn’t just take it off, but it worked. I have a thumb sucker, but she’s only 23 mo and only does it when she’s tired or comforting herself, so I haven’t given it much thought yet.
isabel and sunflower17 , it was just a simple piece of fabric that slid over her thumb and then attached to her wrist like a bracelet. I’m surprised she didn’t just take it off, but it worked. I have a thumb sucker, but she’s only 23 mo and only does it when she’s tired or comforting herself, so I haven’t given it much thought yet.
Post by game blouses on Feb 18, 2019 1:10:34 GMT -5
Band aids around the base of the thumbs. It took DS a week (a very whiny week) but when I took them off, he’d forgotten how to suck them right and the habit was broken.
Post by timorousbeastie on Feb 19, 2019 9:45:10 GMT -5
Thanks for all the suggestions! After being promised both a manicure and an LOL doll once she stops sucking her thumb, DD agreed to use the mavala nail polish last night. This morning, she got up and told me "my thumb finally broke the habit," and she was done sucking her thumb. (She also said her mouth tasted terrible, so I'm guessing her thumb hasn't officially broken its habit all the way yet 😋) My fingers are crossed that this winds up being an easier transition than it was for me!
AJ cut back on sucking his thumb big time after he lost his first and second teeth this fall (both bottom front teeth). It has kicked up a bit now that he has stitches in the back of his head (rubs the stitches with his left hand and sucks his right thumb a bit) but I'm hoping once the stitches are gone that stops again.
I took DS1 to a thumb sucking expert when he was 3 and constantly sucking his fingers. It was affecting his language development because his fingers were always in his mouth. Best $40 I've ever spent
WE had one session. She got him to make the decision himself (by showing him photos of yucky teeth, nasty face rashes etc). It sounds like you are there. Then she went happy crazy with him about what an amazing step he was taking and how awesome and grown up he was to make that decision. And then she gave him and us tools to use. A big one for him was distraction tools - so a stress ball to play with, finger puppets to wear etc. Then she also gave us a splint to use at bedtime. And we also did a reward chart.
The first night was horrific. He cried. WE didn't get much sleep. But that was basically it. After that night, he stopped and never did it again.
I don’t know if this was suggested bc I didn’t read any other replies. I have an almost 7 year old and the only thing that finally worked was this thing I bought off Amazon called a Thumb Buster. It’s just like a glove for only the thumb. She wears it to bed and at first also wore it whenever she was just relaxing. She doesn’t suck her thumb at school and never has. It really helps. She hasn’t sucked her thumb in a few months now. She did have a little bit where we couldn’t find it and she started slipping into that habit again so we really have to keep on her with making sure she’s wearing it.
I was a thumb sucker. My parents used that awful tasting stuff and it worked. Then I moved to nail biting, then pencil chewing. I think I really needed something to keep my hands occupied so might try offering something to fiddle with, a stress ball or something
I had a patient a few years ago. Late teens, early 20s, cant quite recall. I walked in her room to check on her and she was sleeping, and sucking her thumb. I was really surprised that anyone would suck their thumb that long... I totally though it was something that one just... grew out of.
I thought the same thing but there are two women that suck their thumbs at my workplace. Like, one women routinely sucks her thumb as she walks through the halls, and I've seen the other woman suck her thumb while holding a small blanket at a department meeting. So I can only guess that if there are two women in my department that suck their thumbs at work there must be many, many more that suck their thumbs at home.
Also, I'm sure that anyone here concerned about their children will be able to help their child and they'll quit when they're ready. I used to be really mad about the thumbsucking behavior at work but I'm trying to be more understanding about life circumstances for these women that has led to this behavior. I mean, it still really bothers me, but I'm trying to be a better person.