Finger Sucking - Brockton, MA

Unless you really are adamant that it stop, I wouldn't worry about it. My daughter (3) is a thumb sucker, and she just has a callous on her thumb. I was so thrilled when my 4 month old found his thumb - it's the greatest for self-soothing. The thumb sometimes gets red, but never more than that. I love that they can get themselves to sleep and sleep through because of it. Just another opinion.

2 moms found this helpful

Don't worry about it. It will be red and then it will callous up and he will be fine. He is still very young to try and stop this. My daughter sucked her thumb forever,
BUT doesn't now at 23!!

1 mom found this helpful

I agree...I would not worry about it and be thankful your child has a way to soothe himself. I still bite my nails when I am nervous...it is just part of who I am, and I have turned out okay!

Our Pediatrician advised that this is childs way of comfoting themselves and felt it is a positive thing. Thedoc said it would eventually go away, but may takes years. Not to worry, it does work itself out.
S

Hi! I'm a firm believer in letting finger-suckers decide when they no longer need the comfort of sucking their fingers. My son sucked his thumb and it would occassionally get raw and red. Just slather his hands with lotion in the daytime. The feel and taste of lotion may deter him from sucking fingers then plus help soothe the raw area.

Patricia,

I think the kiddos all have something...my younger son has been a thumb sucker from the beginning and at age 5 is still sucking. I tell him all the time it is going to fall off (kidding him of course) and he will switch to the other one.

I am now trying to do some positive reinforcement with him if he can "try" to stop the sucking. I will let you know how it works.

My niece used to suck two fingers...she is 21 now, so they do overcome it!!! Good Luck!

Hello Patricia,

Here are some of the responses I received when I asked a similar question regarding my daughter's (19 months) raw thumb. I chose to use the Lansinoh and it has work:

From:
Rae H
Date:
Wed. Jan. 16, 2008
Hello, My baby girl 15 months loves to suck her thumb too. It is only when she's tired so it's not dry. HOWEVER I have an 8 year old who picks at his nails and fingers when they get winter dryness till they are a MESS. My best tip is sneak in EVERY night when they are asleep and rub some bacitracin on any dry boo-boo areas, ointment, so it doesn't get a staph infection.. It will be gone by time she's awake to suck again. I also go in every night and rub A&D or vaseline on their dry lips and rub a big gob on their hands (its the nurse in me!). It heals it all within a week and then keeps it that way. Been doing this for a few years now for scars, dry skin picked nails etc..try A&D in the day time just a smidge a few times till it's getting better. You'll be all set! :)
No bandaids, just rub in the oinment

From:
Laura S
Date:
Wed. Jan. 16, 2008
I put Lansinoh on my baby's thumb. She also eventually sucks it off, but it has reduced cracking and redness. As Lansinoh is made for sore nipples and the instructions say it does not need to be removed before feeding, I assume it is safe to put on her thumb. Good luck.

From: Dianne M Date: Fri. Jan. 18, 2008
my child sucked her thumb until 7! this really works on an older child try it with yours at bed time or nap time. use a small piece of carpeting, pile side close to skin, roll around thumb sucking arm so elbow can not bend, secure with duck tape. in other words, make a cast out of carpet. put child to bed.
they can not reach thumb. my child was older and i could reason with her. took two nights. also ask your pediatric dentist about story book about thumb sucking. this advise came to me from dentist. good luck. D

Hope these help :).

Hi Patricia...children soothe themselves in this manner up until they are five! My older daughter gave up her binkies at 3 1/2...that was a struggle, so we took the binkie away from my younger daughter at 5 months...now she sucks her fingers and is over 4! When she turns five, we will be getting a finger guard (I think one step ahead sells them) and work on it.
I would allow your little guy a way to comfort himself. It shouldn't cause any serious orthodontic work in the future, but you never can tell.
Good luck! :)

Just a reply. My dd sucked her fingers untill she was maybe three or so. She loved her blanket too. We also took the pacifier away at 6 mos. When she was 1 1/2 a man stopped us and smiled sharing his dd also use to do the same thing. He told us it will stop when she is ready. It did. I don't remember her fingers getting sore but I think he would stop if it was too bad. Maybe use a dab of hot sauce? No I think he would just get terribly upset. I suggest keep them fairly clean and hope you can pull them out when you go to bed with out him noticing? Good luck!

About me;I was only 1 yr younger when I had my dd. ENJOY all you can, it is great - I also have to work. That is still the hardest part of being a mom. I use to cry ~ alot.

Hi-

My son is 20 months old. When he was around 5 -6 months old, he gave up the pacifier when he was sick. Like your son, that led to thumb suck but only when going to sleep. He's never done it at any other time, even when upset. Very quickly, he developed a raw spot on the inside and outside of his thumb. Like you, I was concerned about infection. I asked the doctor and she really wasn't worried about it. Said that if it got really bad, I could put some neosporin on it during the day when he wasn't sucking. Obviously, she said if it looked infected or red and "angry", it needed attention. He now has a calous on the outside of his thumb that occassionally cracks. The other day, I put some "stuff" on it and he went on about his business. I know that we are going to have to address it soon but like you, it's hard for me. He only does it when he goes to sleep and he has always been such an easy baby at night. We lay him down, he sucks his thumb a little and goes to sleep without a word. It feels so "mean" to take that away. I just thank my lucky stars that he's not doing it all the time! :) Hope that helps.

hi patricia...

this is such a difficult subject...but, here goes..

i have 4 children. the first 3 didn't take the pacifier..i was such a snob when i would see children [of all ages] using one!! i would just grose out!!

shame on me!! ignorance, thats all.

well, my last one, for which whom i have done not a thing different, well, absolutely LOVES his binkie!!
like your cherub..he doesn't suck it all the time..just, i guess, when he wants it or needs it!

children are little people and we are all different...lol
did you take the binkie away from him? if so, then why?

just curious....

i am worried about my 6 year old who bites his fingernails...i will try and keep this short...try!

we bought this stuff...pepper something (totally safe)
but my hubby very stupidly told him about it first....when i wanted to put it on his fingers while he was sleeping...well, needless to say he was doing everything to wash it off. =[

your little one is young...so, maybe look into something like that so he will think it tastes nasty!! and maybe [just maybe] he won't do it any longer....**talk to your pediatrician first**!

your little one is so young!! and unable to express his pain or whatever [in case of problems, like allergies]...

SO, doctor FIRST and then try something like that??

best of luck sweetie!! being a mommy is not easy sometimes huh??

worry, worry, worry and then its something else to worry about, ha ha ha!!

i hope i helped you [with an avenue] to start to handle this concern [or made sense anyways]...=]