Thumb Sucking Cures for Older Children
Children usually suck their thumbs when hungry, tired or hurt. The thumb takes the place of pacifiers and other soothers. The practice of sucking the thumb serves to calm the child and give him reassurance that something he loves (his thumb) is always there.
The problem with thumb sucking is the damage which is done to the child’s teeth. Over-bites, protruding teeth or even buck teeth can occur from years of thumb-sucking. Up until about age 4 to 5 the risk of tooth damage isn’t great but after that age, it’s time for the child to stop. Trying to forcefully make the child stop, by yanking his thumb out of his mouth, will only cause trauma.
Any child, while being broken from his thumb-sucking habit, will be cranky. Placing drops and other deterrents on the thumb often results in a screaming baby that won’t sleep but try to hold out and continue the deterrents for awhile. Old remedies include bitters, lemon juice, vinegar, or pickle juice poured directly onto the thumb. Although these work for a short period of time eventually the child does suck off the strong flavor until he can tolerate the thumb once again.
One other thing that might help a little is to place a band-aid around the thumb area. The child can still suck his thumb but it will taste and feel differently and this aids some children in giving up the habit. At a certain age the band-aid treatment quits working since the child can easily remove the bandage and suck. Some parents try the rubber finger guards, used by postal workers, to cover the thumb. The guards are not that easy to pull off and must be rolled down and turned inside-out to remove. Although the finger guards are challenging for a child to remove they are also difficult to locate in children’s sizes.
Children can become less dependent on their thumbs by giving them something to carry instead. Even though this replaces one habit with another, carrying something does no damage to the teeth. Tell the child you purchased something special for him to help him stop sucking his thumb. Give it to him whenever you see him sucking his thumb and at night when he goes to bed.
When spotting the child sucking his thumb during the day try to engage him in some sort of activity that will require him to use both hands. Each time the child stops sucking his thumb to do something else he gets closer and closer to quitting.
Encourage your child to stop sucking his thumb in a gentle and tactful way. Hollering at him, yanking it out of his mouth or threatening him with punishments will only cause him to suck his thumb more. Begin the weaning at an early age to make it easier for the child. Ages 3 to 4 are ideal.
