Any advice on getting a 5 year old to stop sucking his thumb?

Our 5 1/2 year old who NEVER sucked his thumb started doing so right about the time he turned 5 and the habit is getting worse. He's in school now, and doesn't suck it there to our knowledge, but hands in mouth lead to us all being sick all the time.It seems to comfort him, but the habit is escalating...backing off doesn't help, pushing doesn't help, trying to motivate with rewards or revocation of priveleges doesn't work. Not sure why he's doing it, he seems to be going through a phase of insecurity, but he has a stable home life and is well loved, so we're not sure why.

I think maybe there was an original reason that has become a force of habit, but he is clearly addicted, you can't get him to stop sucking his thumb...he'll physically fight for the abiity to do it. I am concerned about being sick all the time and the dentist said she can see the effects on his pallate (and this was before the behavior got out of hand). Anyone tried anything that works?

Asked by dalepetrie_is_gone 58 months ago Similar questions: advice year stop sucking thumb Family > Parenting.

Similar questions: advice year stop sucking thumb.

This sounds mean, but it works I sucked my thumb as a kid and I developed a serious overbite because of it. I wore braces for years. You've got to put an end to this habit.

You're going to laugh or be revolted, but the way my grandmother finally got me to stop sucking my thumb was to put chicken... well, I can't say the word. But it starts with an sh. She'd put that on my thumb and it was so gross that my hands never went near my mouth.

You got to remember, she was an immigrant from a poor country, so her choice of foul tasting substance may seem odd to you, but it's what she knew. The concept is still sound, and I'm sure you could find something less unsanitary, but basically just rubbing something foul tasting on his thumb regularly will break the habit. But you really should try to investigate why he's doing it.

Something is probably bothering him, perhaps having to do with school? There's a deeper issue that needs to be treated, too, but you'll have to figure it out for yourself. I hope this helps!

Sources: My experience .

Personal Experience I sucked my thumb until I was eight years old. My grandmother got me to quit by putting lotion on my hands everytime I washed them. I didn't like the taste & would wash my hands again, she would reapply.It was a tough few weeks but, eventually, I no longer wanted to suck my thumb.

Good Luck! Sources: personal .

We did two things My elder kid is 5. And my younger is 2. Both has been sucking their respective thumbs since they were 2 weeks old.

When they had started to suck thumb, they slept the whole night. We decided it was time for the older to stop sucking his thumb six months ago. What worked for a while was filling a wall calendar with stamps everyday he didn't suck his thumb.It worked for months.

Then he got sick and went to hospital. We relaxed the pressure on not sucking and he started all over. What it seems to be working now is to convince him he is too old for that.

We use peer pressure as well, saying that none of his friends do it. And enforce the non-thumb-sucking-policy by fixing a band-aid on his thumb every night. When the elder sort of stopped this time, the younger got her band-aid too and is about to stop sucking too.

Hope that helps, ~ms wizdowl.com .

Some children suck their thumbs while others do not. Why? What are the consequences of thumb sucking, healthwise?

How can you help your child stop sucking their thumb? Some infants begin sucking their thumb while in their mother’s womb. Many babies are born with calluses from sucking their finger, thumb or wrist.

Other babies discover finger or thumb sucking after birth. This non-nutritive sucking is done for comfort. The sucking instinct in newborns is for survival.

Sucking brings food and this food brings comfort. Seventy five percent of all babies in industrialized countries suck their thumb at some point. Babies that are born in countries where they have constant access to their mother’s breast have very little incidence of thumb sucking.

The infant’s sucking urge is completely satisfied and they do not need to suck their thumbs. Most children stop sucking their thumb or fingers on their own without parental intervention somewhere around age one. But, some children continue sucking their thumb long after.

Hereafter we will refer to finger, hand or thumb sucking as just thumb sucking to simplify the article. Estimates from studies done in the 1970’s indicate that at least 10 percent of children older than the age of five still suck their thumbs.No one knows exactly how many suck their thumbs because many do it in secret for fear of being ridiculed and embarrassed. Another study of children that were school age and in speech therapy classes found that as many as 50 percent of them had a thumb sucking habit.

Research also indicates that 75 percent of prolonged thumb suckers are girls. The reason why many children continue to suck their thumbs long after toddlerhood has to do with the psychological needs of the child. Our brain has the ability to produce endorphins, or mood altering chemicals, in response to smells, sounds, actions or objects.

The brain controls our emotions and feelings in response to these chemicals. Pleasurable activities such as thumbsucking, gambling, running, eating stimulate the brain to release these endorphins that stimulate a sense of well-being and pleasure. Thumbsucking triggers a calming, relaxing sensation to occur in the child.

An infants first experience with pleasure which creates a calm feeling is sucking and getting food.As most infants develop independence they become more mobile and too busy to bother with thumb sucking and therefore quit. When a child continues to suck their thumb many parents start to use punishment, negativity, yelling and frustration to try to stop them. This only makes the habit more entrenched.

Many times older children who suck their thumb have to endure pushy comments made by other children, teachers and complete strangers about this habit that brings them so much pleasure. They begin to feel ashamed and that they are a bad person because of all the ridicule and insults they receive. A child who sucks her thumb will have dental and speech problems.

The top jaw begins to form a gap in the front where the thumb is always placed causing an open bite. Other problems include a cross bite,crooked teeth, malocclusions, lisps, or a tongue thrust. Prevention of prolonged sucking into childhood is probably the best defense that parents can take.

First of all, a parent must meet their infant and toddler's emotional needs. Give your baby and toddler a structured day. Respond to their crying to soothe them.

They are either tired, hungry, cold, bored or wet. Find out what it is and meet their needs. Give your child a feeling that they are safe with you at home or in a daycare they will feel safe at.

If your child is still sucking their thumb after age five intervention is necessary. The timing of this intervention is important. Do not try any intervention when they are starting on a new endeavor in their life.

This means a new school, home, sibling, parent etc. The first step is to validate your child’s feelings when you begin to talk to them about their thumb sucking habit. Make sure you tell them that you know it is hard for them but you are confident they can be successful at quitting. When your child is first trying to stop sucking their thumb keep their life on an even keel.

Maintain a predictable routine in your home. Make sure the child is well fed and rested. Have them stay home from school and make it a three day weekend to work on the habit.

Eliminate the blankie, or whatever they have that is associated with the thumb sucking. The first few days is the most difficult and emotional. The child may experience withdrawal symptoms.

The child may be unable to fall asleep by themselves and may become irritable. You can talk with your child and eliminate only the daytime sucking if need be at first. Once this is mastered then work on the night time sucking.

Create a progress chart of their small accomplishments; when they went one hour without sucking, then the day, then two days, and on up. Give rewards for accomplishments. Keep your child busy and distracted during these first few days or if they are relapsing.

Let your child munch on food or chew gum to keep their mouth busy. Remember this hard time is temporary. Rarely does another bad habit replace the thumb sucking habit: your child can be successful with your support, love and encouragement.

Sources: http://la.essortment.com/stopthumbsucki_rhxo.htm .

There is this stuff that you can get that tastes really bad... It is for your nails. You should go to a pharmacy and ask them where they keep that. I guarantee the bitter gross taste on his nail will curb his appetite for his thumb!

Sources: Got me to stop biting my nails! .

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I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.