Thumb Sucking - White Lake, MI

I had the same problem with my son. His doctor told me to put vanilla extract on his thumb. It smells sweet, but tastes awful. (Plus it is not toxic - yay!) It worked like a charm for my little guy. Hope it helps. (The hot sauce thing didn't work for my Antonio because he liked it.)

There's a topical solution (probably can find it at Babies R Us) called Bitter Apple. It won't sting or burn your daughter like hot sauce will, but it doesn't taste pleasant at all. My mother broke my nail biting habit with Bitter Apple many years ago. If you can't find Bitter Apple, maybe an adhesive bandage firmly securred with first aid tape would do the trick. Good luck!

This may not be the answer you are seeking but what is the problem with allowing her to comfort herself? Many parents wished their kids could calm themselves and if she is sucking it too much for your needs then perhaps try to encourage her to save it for bedtime, for when she is truly sad...give her alternate things to do with her hands like puzzles, coloring and then she won't be able to suck it as often but honestly if she has this attachment and it is not posing a serious risk to her health then allow her to self comfort herself until she is older and can verbalize, comprehend and truly have a desire to quit....just my humble opinion.
I have had 3 thumb suckers and 2 paci kids....all still have blanies and lovey items they snuggle in bed....truth be told I am happy my kids could comfort themselves at time when I could not.
E.

(personal opinion)I think it would be easier to make a peaceful middle-east than to stop a two year old from thumb sucking. I sucked my thumb and no one was able to stop it until I was ready, see if you can just have little talks with her until she knows it's not for her anymore, good luck ;)p.s. I was 12 before I stopped completely and then I needed braces, I do not have any problems with my pallett,or any oral issues.

Two year olds are different than Four year olds, because they don't have muscle strength and will simply adopt and learn by routine. Don't use hot sauce - it does not work when they are sleeping! Use something to keep the arm straight, like an Ace Bandage if you want to save some money (but it is REALLY a pain), or the Nipit Hand Stopper to stop thumb sucking. With babies, age 1-3ish, it takes longer. Be patient, but consistent. Give it three to six weeks of continuous use. It will work, have patience.

My 2 year old sucks his thumb too and i was a thumb sucker as a child. i see no major problem with the issue when they are so young. it is a comfort that they obviously need and as long as it doesn't interrupt speech and their communication, I say let them grow out of it when they are ready!

Break the child's arm---just kidding. My daughter used to suck her left thumb and reight after she turned 2,she fell off a slide and broke her left arm. It took three days of not being able to reach her thumb and she was "forced" into not sucking her thumb.

I think this is a tricky one as I did like you are and started asking people how to change the habit and never found a good solution. Good luck.

Hello, J.

Try a little garlic powder. The taste usually is something they do not like.

E.

My daughter had a pacifier till she was almost 4. We elimated times she could use it one by one. Her day care was great in keeping her distracted and busy so she didn't want it.

Peer pressure finally kicked in and she stopped wanting it around her friends.

I am a firm believer in picking your battles and that was one I knew would work out.

J.

I would just watch her and if you see it, tell her no and to stop, she's at the age where she understands and knows better. say, your not a baby your a big girl. My 3 year old personally never sucked her thumb however once in a while my husband and I will catch her with it or her fingers in her mouth and I'm just like YUCK get that outta there, your not a baby. and she knows it's short simple and done. that will absolutely destroy the formation of her teeth tough so I would get on it, however you have to. good luck.

I am a hygienist and we tell our patients to wrap the elbow in a ace bandage so they can't bend the elbow. This is usually recommended when all else fails and the parents are out of ideas or if it's becoming a "dental" problem..... which it will interfer with the development of the palate and the front teeth can push forward and so on. Hope this helps if you run out of ideas.

one of my grandsons(Ihave several) sucked his thumb right up to gradeschool and then some when he was tired. some kids just do this and no matter what you do it won't work. they enjoy sucking their thumb. You might try giving him something to suck on but that will onyl be a short reprieve. when he is older kids will make fun of him and then you can gently remind him(what my daugter did) but before that nothing works that I know of and I am a great grandmother. some kids just seeme to need more sucking. in the case of my granddaughter (one of them the doc suggested a pacifier as she needed more when she was born but that is rare)

I have a 5 yr. old who still sucks her thumb. The dentist and doctor have both told us this needs to stop and gave us these 2 products to try Orly No Bite this is for finger nail biting but has a bitter taste you paint it on the nail or Mavala Stop for nail biting and thumb sucking. Hope one of these works.
K. D