How to Stop Thumb Sucking? - Queen Creek,AZ

I sucked my thumb until the 5th grade. I tried so many times to stop and would get very upset with myself when I couldn't quit. My mom was very understanding and equated it to quitting smoking. It would be VERY hard to quit smoking if you constantly had a cigarette attached to your body! My thumb was my security. I tried the bitter stuff and that didn't work. I just had to do it in my own time. The big push for me was my parents said if I didn't stop soon I would have to wait longer to get braces and that meant potentially having to wear braces to high school! The thought of wearing braces to Prom was what really sold me on quitting. My parents didn't use it as a threat, they just told me the facts. So I quit and had braces in junior high with everyone else. Good luck! I know it is so hard.

1 mom found this helpful

There is something you can paint on the thumb that tastes HORRIBLE, but doesn't hurt her. You can find it at Walmart or health food stores. That worked for our son in a matter of less than a week, and he had the exact same issue.

I have a friend who used the thumb guard with the bracelet for her daughter and it worked really well for them. she got it online, but I'm not sure where.

I would never recomend this for a baby or a toddler but since your daughter is old enough to reason with I would suggest to her that she let you tape a sock over her hand when she is close to her bedtime. The fuzzier the better. Ultimately though stopping her habit has to be something she wants, not you. Good Luck!

Put a bandaid on her thumb. It tastes bad.

I sucked my thumb till I was about 10 and how I finally stopped was that I wore a knit glove to bed, so when I put my thumb in my mouth, I got a mouth full of yarn! I broke the habit fast using that method. Good luck.

Hi S.,
I was a thumb sucker until I was thirteen. My parents tried everything from paying me each day I didn't suck my thumb, bandaging my thumb, applying yucking tasting stuff (they bought at the store intended to help thumbsuckers stop). Nothing worked. I still remember the comfort I felt when I would suck my thumb. I feel for your daughter because I know how hard it is to quit. I would recommend taking her to an orthodontist. They can give her some sort of a mouth piece so that she can't suck her thumb anymore. I finally quit when I got braces because I could no longer suck my thumb. I needed the braces because sucking my thumb created bucked teeth and through off my palate. Hopefully, if she quits soon enough she won't have the problems I had with my teeth and mouth. I wish her and you the best of luck.
E.

I know this is going to sound mean and wrong but it worked for our friends 10 year old and he was having the same problem. Take medical wrap or ace bandage and have her fold her thumbs in her palms and wrap her hands up other than her fingers. Do this during her TV time and bed time it took about a month but it really worked. We had tried peppers, and the polish nothing worked they make a devise that is like $200.00 each but it puts a tube over the thumb and it wrap it the same way with the tape or ace bandage. On the tape it is the wrap stuff its not stickey so it wont remove skin or hair like a bandade. Good luck .

There's not much you can do about the bedtime deal unless you want to check on her all the time. If she is motivated to give it up, say because she is feeling uncomfortable with the habit and wants to sleep over at friends houses and not be teased, then it will happen. The TV one you can help with. give her something to figit with when she watches TV such as a squeezy ball or something else to do with her hands and then sit with her as she watches TV and if she goes for the thumb in the mouth then hold hands for a bit. It is a tough habit to break but she will.

Hello S.,
My name is A... I have 2 children 8 and 5 year old boys. I am a working mom. I work for an orthodontist- my second passion after my children.
I don't know if your dentist has told you, or if your daughter has ever been to an orthodontist or not. Anyway, there is a type of appliance that can be made for your daughter that will help her to loose the urge. Also, AAO--the American Board of Orthodontics-- recommends that every child over the age of 7 be evaluated/examined for orthodontia.
I understand that may be a big step and financial burden. However, if she is a thumb sucker, the sooner you get her examined the sooner they might be able to correct any problems that might become major as her adult teeth try to come in. Hopefully to help prevent the need for full orthodontic later.
I hope my advice might help.

A. R.

You might try putting a glove on her hand so she would know she was doing it -It is hard to break a habit that was started as a soothing action-She might also have a favorite item ,doll,car,stuffed animal that she holds while watching TV and/or falling asleep!It truly is only a matter of time and please let her know she is capable of getting past this as all children are capable of success!

Hi S. - I don't know anything about thumb sucking :) but I looked at your web site - the kids glasses are really inexpensive... are they polarized for the sun?

Hi S.

I remember finding it really difficult to stop sucking my thumb when I was young. My daughter is 6 and she stopped comparatively easily. When she started school (just after her 5th birthday)she stopped during the day at school so she wouldn't look babyish. Then she decided at about 5 and a half to stop altogether. She asked me to buy Stop n'Grow which is a nasty tasting nail varnish for nail biters. We painted it onto her nails before she went to bed for about a week and that was it. It was totally driven by her - she decided to stop because she didn't want to ruin her teeth. Good luck...

A little about me: I'm a single working Mum with one daughter (6) We live in London, UK

Hello S.,
My Name is T. Roark, and I am a certified Speech Pathologist. The best way to have a child stop sucking their thumb is to apply oil of clove to it....it really is the worst tasting stuff around....HOWEVER, please be careful that your child doesnt rub her eyes with her thumb as it will sting a bit, no damage should be done but it will sting......just apply a couple of drops to the thumb and then offer a lot of support and water :)

I was a thumb sucker for a long time. My mom talked me out of it (literally) It isn't that easy for most moms, but i've heard that the plaq tabs (the ones that turn your teeth red if you haven't brushed well) work as a good constant reminder. Your daughter would know that she is doing it because it turns her thumb red and it helps remind her to stop! also gloves might help too at least while she's awake

I sucked my thumb until I was 10. I understand how hard it is for your daughter to stop. I had to wear retainers on the top teeth that would "bug" my thumb and not allow the comfort. We tried may other things first. It took trial and error to find the right retainer that worked (5 tries over 3 years). I finally stopped and then had braced for 6.5 years to fix all the problems that had been created from the thumb. My mom sucked her thumb into her 30's when she was very upset. She has stopped now that her problems are over.

Since your daughter suckes her thumb watching tv... entertain her hands. Teach her to knit, drum penciles on a pillow figget with a small toy etc. When she is sleeping have her wear a glove. She may pull it off, but it is worth the try. Have her write in a diary to work out anything that may be bugging her that she can't talk to anyone about, if she is upsetand let her know that you are always open to talk to you. Talk to your dentist about help too. At her age kids can be mean. You didn't say if she does it in school, I did. That was hard because the kids would tease me.

Do what ever you can to help her.... this is a great start. I wish her luck.

My daughter is 5 and we used the Thumb Guard. See this link for more info:

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

As they say 21 days breaks a habit and this worked for her. She wore it 24/7 and no more thumb sucking. It's around $75, but I figure what's $75 to having dental problems and braces later.

Hi S.. My Brother has 3 girls and the oldest is almost 8 (April). They all still suck their thumbs. So every night they "get to suck their thumbs" for an hour. They call it "Happy hour" and mom pours herself a glass of wine :o) ha ha. Anyway, the point is that this is the only time they are allowed to suck their thumbs (at least - in theory). I don't really have an answer for you - except that you are not alone. Maybe just keep trying to discourage it - except for that hour each day. Good luck!

Hi S.-
I have a similiar problem. My almost 8 year old son has the same problem. We have tried a product that has helped tremendously. It is a 'nail polish' (made for the purpose of stopping thumb sucking)that you put on the nail and has a yuck taste and everytime they put their thumb in the mouth, they take it right out. My son has really cut down on his thumb sucking (we need to apply every night, and sometimes forget). My sister is the one who found it. She has used it on two of her children, with great success! I can't remember the name of it, but you can find it in any drugstore.
Good luck!
Lari Beth

They have this bitter tasting stuff you can put on your child's fingers, and they won't like the taste. I've seen it at Walgreens, but i'm not too sure what the name of it is. I think that would be the most effective, along with just pulling his thumb out of his mouth everytime you see him do it, and tell him we don't do that anymore it's yucky! Be consistent and she will stop!

Maybe a reward system, everytime that she doesn't do it she gets _______. Just something small. When she is watching TV it is subconscience (sp?) give her hands something to do such as coloring. Just gently reminder her when ever she starts to do it.

Hi S.- My daughter also sucked her thumb until she was 8 yrs old. The best advice I think is, stop making an issue of it she will all of the sudden just stop. It won't be gradual or anything. It is actually amazing the way it happens. I know how she feels and I know how you feel. We felt the same way the older she got. My Doctor said leave her alone it shows that they have good nurturing. Huh who would have thought. There is days I wish she was that little again. They grow up way too fast. I hope I helped.
T. L