What do you break the habit if your child is still sucking his/her thumb?
Question: My child is still sucking his thumb. What should I do?
Thumb sucking is normal for infants. Children may grow out of it. It can lead to dental concerns such as an openbite. Their front teeth may also stick out, so it’s best to encourage your child to break the habit as early as possible.
Misaligned bites may cause these problems:
Related: Tooth Anatomy and Decay
The first thing all mums and dads should know is that thumb sucking is a habit that many kids turn to when they are bored, tired, stressed or anxious, so it might be counterproductive to scold or employ punishments to break this habit. Encouragement and positive reinforcements are your best tools to help your child stop the habit.
Explain that thumb sucking is a bad habit. Let him know that it can spread germs and make people sick, and how it may affect development of his teeth. Sometimes, a clear explanation is enough to encourage him to break the habit on his own.
Related: Boosting Your Child's Mental Wellbeing
Does your child tend to suck his thumb while watching TV or reading? Try giving him a small rubber ball to squeeze to keep his hands occupied. If your child resorts to thumb sucking when he’s angry or stressed, help him put his feelings into words. Do not yell at your child or forcibly remove his thumb from his mouth as this might make him feel worse.
Some children suck their thumbs to sleep. It offers them comfort. Try giving your child soothers such as a stuffed toy or a cuddle when he goes to bed, to help him break the habit.
More drastic measures include painting nasty tasting nail polish on the thumb nail as a deterrence or placing a bandage over the thumb to remind the child not to place his thumb in his mouth.
Dentists can also fit the child’s mouth with a habit-breaking appliance which is usually worn for an extended period — at least three months after the child has broken the habit.
This procedure is only done if the habit persists after the upper permanent teeth emerge, and isn’t often done for younger children below seven.
Related: Keep Teeth in Check
Praise your child and tell him what a great job he’s been doing for not sucking his thumb. Make a sticker chart and add a sticker for each achievement: for example, if he doesn’t suck his thumb while watching TV, he gets one star. If he doesn’t suck his thumb for an entire morning, that’s another star. If he manages to keep it up for the whole day, that’s two stars. Reward him by giving him more time at the playground or the library.
Related: Healthy Self-Esteem for Your Child
The thumb sucking probably won’t stop overnight. It might take a couple of weeks, or even a few months. Be patient with your child and give plenty of encouragement. When your child does break the habit, don’t forget to give him — and yourself — a big pat on the shoulders. Two thumbs up!
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This article was last reviewed on 15 Nov 2022
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