My Toddler Has a Sucking Issue

four months is a long time to get over losing his pacifier. If he is only sucking on food, I would be less concerned, except that he might choke on small items, but you say he is wanting to suck at night as well. Is he sucking on clothes and other nonfood items as well? That is a sign he may have a sensory issue that causes him to have a more serious sucking issue than is typical. You can read more about this possibility in a wonderful book called "The Out of Sync Child" by Carol Stack Kranowitz. Look at it in the library and see if it may describe your son. If it does, ask your pediatrician to refer you to an OT who specializes in sensory processing disorder for evaluation. there are some really excellent ones in Denver and I can give you some names as well.

Our 3 1/2 year old loves to suck on things too. He is still a thumb sucker, but we've noticed in the last couple months that he hardly sucks it anymore. Even at night it's not automatically popped into his mouth like it used to be. Everyone has said they generally outgrow it, so we're hoping that's the case here.

DS used to suck on blankets or mom's shirt while I was holding him - anything really. My suggestion would be to just wait it out. I wouldn't suggest going back to the paci. Perhaps he can suck on a blankie at night? or a favorite stuffed animal? I wouldn't be concerned about getting him to stop sucking alltogether, as it will likely end on it's own over the next year or so.

Sucking is a soothing mechanism for kids, however DO NOT GIVE THE PACIFIER BACK. Some kids just take longer to find another means to soothe. Do not allow him to suck on foods, that can lead to choking. Have him understand he is to bite, chew and swallow accordingly. Be firm about this and do not allow it. Him sucking on a fruit snack he could breathe in and it go down whole. I am still on my kids about chewing up foods well and they are 4 and 7.

Do not give the pacifier back to him though if you have gotten this far in breaking the habit. Some think it is no biggie to give a pacifier but after the age of two it can cause serious dental issues, speech issues and just a bad habit that will get harder if you give it back now. Go get him a new snuggle friend for sleeping. Get a new music box for him, new nightlight or something to celebrate him being a big boy. When you see him suck on foods, remove it or have him put it down and explain he is to bite and chew. Kids have disrupted sleep at that age for numerous reasons, teething, growth spurts and so on. Keep on it and he will figure out a soothing ritual for himself and learn to self soothe which is a huge positive. Just give him some time.

At about the same age, we took away our twin boys' pacifiers. One of them began sucking on just about everything else instead, a little like your son. We didn't wait four months, it was only a week or two, but we gave them back the pacifiers and tried taking them again later. I decided to do that because he would suck on his fingers (as well as blankets, food, clothes, whatever) and I didn't like the idea of him getting all those germs from under his fingernails in his system all the time. I mean, I can only wash his hands so many times, right?? We took them away again at about 2 and 3 months (27months old) and they did much better. The one who was replacement sucking stopped and they really had little problem giving it up. They just weren't ready the first time. I took my older daughter's pacifiers away at around 2 because the twins were on the way and I didn't want her snagging theirs. She was "off" them by the time they got here (she was 2 +20 days when they were born). So maybe try giving it back and try again later. It may not be as hard as some would make it seem. Or it may be. You'll never know unless you try. Good luck!

All kids are different. My first two kids didn't need a pacifier after 18 months, but my last one sucks her fingers. She also sucks on everything still. She is 19 months with no sign of stopping.

Ask your doc if you are concerned, but giving your son a pacifier at nap and bedtime only is not the worst thing that could happen.

Why does he have to stop the paci?? Not every child is the same and some kids need more time to let go of those securities.
I think it would be better to let him have it longer- at least at nap and bedtime.
What is it hurting??
Sure there will be moms out there that give you that look of "why does he still use it", but screw em.
Don't care what they think, care about what is best for your son.
Trust me he will out grow it and perhaps even in a few months you can start to talk to him about it again and slowly get rid of them with his help.

Good luck

I wouldn't give it back to him due to the fact that he is obviously very attached to it and if its hard to get him over it now just imagine what it would be like in the future. I also heard too that its not the pacifier that effects the teeth but how hard they suck on it so you may be causing further damage if you do give it back to him and he continues to suck in such a way. He will eventually get over the need to suck. We too just got rid of our daughters "nuk" 3 weeks ago and she still isnt fully over it but it is getting better. Can you make him some healthy popsicles or something that he can suck on throughout the day like a smoothy popsicle?? I'm not sure that there is anything else that would help him with the need to suck something except replace that with more snuggles and time.

sucking is an inate need for little ones. . . even up to age 3, 4, 5. sounds like maybe you didn't experience this with your other child, but this is not "weird" or a problem or anything. some children have a stronger need to suck than others. .. this is a NEED not a strange habit. i wouldn't worry about it at all. he may just be a very oral child. it's really up to you and your instincts as to whether you believe giving back a pacifier would help with the food sucking situation. is the food sucking just irritating to you? or are you really concerned it's a problem? i've read that it's actually better to try taking away a pacifier at the age of 3 than it is at the age of 2 because of all the immense changes going on in a child from ages 1-3. so you might consider giving it back for a year, see how he does. this could be extremely soothing for your little guy. good luck.

Why is sucking on fruit snacks a problem??? Do you just want his mouth clear of things?

You probably know that our bodies have lots of different pressure points that can be used to stimulate differing things. The mouth is included and stimulated creates a calmness for people. This is one big reason children suck their thumbs, pacifiers, bottles, mama, or any other thing they can...even adults like to use this thus the pens and pencils, the hard candies, the gum, etc...we tend to see when adults are "thinking" or "consentating" or "daydreaming"...we do it, too! This could be attributed to oxytocin which is produced by both genders.

I don't know if I'd go back to a pacifier or if I'd just leave it as it is and suggest lightening up on letting him suck on the fruit snacks...it may be better to move back to the pacifier because when he's older you can remove it from the house easier than you can his blanket, thumb, or some other object he may use as a substitute.

You may want to increase your cuddle time or something similar to take the place of oral stimulation for dopamine or oxytocin production.

We're all so different, our children are each so individual to themselves. Unless you sense a real, true danger and/or complication to life with this, I'd relax and take your child's lead for what his needs are. It probably wouldn't hurt to read the book suggested earlier by another Mom, not to jump to conclusions but to give you more ideas and questions to discuss with a doctor if you ever feel inspired to do so. Just remember, whether or not the majority of child do or do not do something your child is or is not doing, it's ok so long as he's happy, healthy, and safe.

I'll dissent. My personal opinion is that under 2 is too young too take away a paci...as you can see just because the paci is gone, their need to suck to soothe themselves doesn't. And I think paci's are nicer than fingers or blankies or other odd things they can find. And contrary to popular belief the paci doesn't come *harder* to take away as they get older, its gets *easier*. Why? Because the need to suck starts waning. And kids have the ability to reason as they get older. Pacis are of course easier to take away than thumbs or fingers too.

I would give him back the pacifier at night and nap time. He obviously finds the sucking soothing, and there is no rule about pacifier use that works for all kids. If it helps calm him I don't see a problem with it.