Getting My Child to Quit Thumbsucking

I'm mostly responding, because I also have a child that's 10 and still sucks her two middle fingers. I haven't been able to get her to stop. The Dentist says it's ruining her teeth & only suggested a habit guard. Which my insurance only covers half. I don't have the money to do that right now. We've bribed and have told her it's making her teeth bucked out, told her that's it's for babies. Nothing works. This is a very bad habit, supposedly an insecurity thing. I don't know what to do.
Good luck!
A.

Hi N.,
I was a thumb sucker too. for 12 years. NOTHING my parents did made me stop. socks over hands, the bitter nail polish, the pepper on the thumb. Nothing worked.

How old is your child? My sister told her four year old when J sucked her two middle fingers that only "big girls" could do.... and you fill in the blank. J wanted to go skating. but my sister would not allow her to go with her still having her hands in her mouth all the time.

This worked for J as she REALLY wanted to be a big girl.

another thing I would suggest is watch when your child is using the thumb for comfort. If she is sick, or tired the thumb will be there.

I didn't stop until I was twelve... it was MY choice then. And obviously somthing I needed to do until then.

Just my .02

B.
deaffmommie

the device that Tammy mentioned is called a Thumbgaurd. It is the only thing that worked for my two year old. We tried the hot sauce on her thumb and she liked it and when we put vinegar on it she knew she could suck it off and then it would be better. But we never tried the Mavala. So this device you put over their thumb and attach it with a plastic bracelet and it makes it so they cannot get the suction that they desire from thumbsucking. You do it for about a month until they have broken the habit. Now when my daughter really needs that self calming of thumb sucking she just rubs her thumb back and forth across her lips until she is soothed. It comes in three sizes and is kind of expensive but it really does work. If your child is older there is also a device called Thumbusters that is like a glove that covers their thumb, it's cheaper but it is only for bigger children and if they are really opposed they can just take it off. You can Google either one and probably find them both on eBay a little cheaper. Good luck.

There is a company I think it's called First Step. They have magazines and a web site and sell lots of baby and toddler items. They have a devise that you put on their thumb to discourage thumbsucking. They also have one if your child sucks there middle and ring finger. It's like a plastic covering for the finger that straps to the hand. I can't find my magazine right this second but I do believe it is called First step.

Hi N.! I am going through this right now with my daughter who is 7. I have tried lots of things such as rewards, reward charts, "only big girls" get too... Nothing worked... she really wanted to quit but after 45 minutes she'd come to me out of bed crying that she couldn't do it. We went to her first Otho. consult 3.5 weeks ago. HE told her she was messing up her mouth. HE told her she really needed to stop.(He was very kind in the way he talked to her, but very straight forward) He told me to go to the sporting goods store (we went to Target) and get some batting gloves. He explained how to put a couple holes in the strap and the glove and how to lock it on her wrist WITHOUT placing the zip tie around the wrist. (Make sure if you try it do not put zip tie around the wrist) He explained that she needed to ware it for one month, even if we thought she had stopped. WELL... we went to Target, I let her pick out which gloves she wanted and that was it. No zip ties and no crying (which amazed me!) And the differnce in the shape of the mouth after even just a few days was AMAZING!) She has less than a week to go and then she will get to pick a special dinner. After one month of no sucking and no glove she will get to have a slumber party... which she has been asking for forever, so she REALLY wants it! I think the combination of the Dr. telling her it had to stop and the help of the glove really is what helped her quit! Maybe you could talk to their Dr's before a visit and ask that it be brought up. But I guess it would also depend on how old they are. Please message me if you want any more info! I am soooo proud of my daughter... my first photo/ultrasound is of her sucking her thumb... poor baby!!! She was a great sleeper and self soother though!

Glad to see your responses. I put this same inquiry out 2 weeks ago and didn't get any responses, so I am happy to have some ideas now!

My sister had the issue with her youngest son and she was advised to put "No Bite" finger nail polish on his thumb. She hasn't had a problem since...