3Yrs Old Boy Constantly Sucking on His Thumb

Two of my three children were thumb suckers and self soothers. They both weaned from the habit by the time they were 6 years old and permanent teeth erupted. I was told by two different dentists that breaking the thumb sucking habit before permanent teeth came in was in the child's best interest. So we did not worry too much about it until each child turned 5 years old.

When the thumb sucking became annoying or was clearly done out of boredom, we made sure to keep the child busy. My daughter's fine motor skills improved dramatically when she practiced cutting shapes or coupons (with child safe scissors). She is 13 years old now, and loves to knit, crochet, draw, and does beautiful origami folding.

My son would play a lot with clay and/or Play-Doh to keep his hands busy. He did not care much to draw or write. He was more tactile and liked things like playing in the sand and water. He still takes really long baths. He is 7 years old and enjoys building and creating things.

I would find age-appropriate toys and other manipulatives to keep you son busy, esp. when he is bored. I would not try to restrict the self-soothing when he is tired or sick, but offer reasonable alternatives.

My son never sucked his thumb but he did do the nipple thing when he was 3 years old. He outgrew it. I agree that it is a self soothing thing and therefore he needs not to feel bad about it. When my son was in kindergarten, he bit his nails for a little while. His pediatrician said not to worry, that he was just lessening some anxiety. He quickly outgrew that one, too.

H.,

Your child should be examined by a dentist. I practice in Franlin Park. Please contact me at ____@____.com or ###-###-####. If my office is not convenient I can refer you to someone in your area. An appliance can be made and cemented in place to help break your child of the thumbsucking habit.

Sincerely,

Dr. D. R. Pietrini

l will advice you to rub the thumb with any liquid he hates to drink ,and by tasting it one or two times he will stop indefinately.
Good luck
C. Wright

Ha ha! My 3 year old son does that too- he sucks his first to fingers and plays with his nipple. I really wish he would stop, but I understand that it's a comfort issue. We're just letting him grow out of the habit. I've noticed him doing it less and less. Now it seems it's just when he's really tired or upset. When we're out in public I ask him to keep his shirt down and leave his fingers out of his mouth. We tell him that it's a private thing to do and he's only allowed to do it at home. When he does do it at home, I still try asking him not to. Most of the time he stops and we'll move onto a different activity. When he puts up a fight about sucking his fingers at home, I'll usually just let him because he needs it to relax. We're slowly working towards only doing it at naptime and bedtime and will eventually work on not doing it at all. I suggest trying to set boundaries around it instead of making him stop all together. You could also try to suggest a different comfort mechanism like snuggling a specific stuffed animal when he's tired or upset. Good luck!

I think your son might just be self soothing. this is great that he is able to do it himself. I know that my son did the same thumb in the mouth and finger in the nose. I just would tell him not in his nose but left the thumb there. Currently he is three and a half and it drives his teachers in preschool crazy that he still sucks in public and others on the street. People are always pulling it out. But I have told him that if he needs to do it, it is up to him. But that he needs to take it out if he is talking, about to cook (can not have it in at all). I think it has great purpose. As he learns more how to navigate feelings and emotions and with peer pressure, I know it will come out. I remember a friend let her daughter use a passafier in public for years (six). I see the girl now and she is very well adjusted and does not use it. I joke with people that is better for teeth than chewing gum, tobacco or using too much food to deal with his system. Also, when I told the dentist of the concern of his teachers, he looked at his thumb and said, "I think it looks ok."

Have you tried dipping just the tip of his thumbs in nail polish remover?