Advice for Helping 3 Yo to Stop Sucking Her Thumb

I have heard that the Nail painting works so that it tastes horrible when they DO do it... I also feel that with baby teeth it won't do permanent damage because their adult teeth haven't come in yet. Just keep up the training on brushing daily and praise when they don't suck their thumb..
I also like the suggestion about an alternative toy to transfer their security from their thumb to a favorite toy.

E. Beaumont
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We were having the same problem with our two year old daughter. So this last time when I took her to the dentist I asked if he had any suggestions and he had us try this stuff he sells the name of it is something sweedish but so far it has worked well. The dentist painted some of this stuff on my husbands nail, my daughters nails, and my nails. And I have to be honest the stuff tastes so bad that I wouldn't suck it off. (And it lasts almost all day). If you are interested in purchasing the stuff it cost $10.00 and we can buy it from the Childrens Dental Center. Sorry it sounds sort of like an advertisement but I will swear by this stuff!

Although the dentist's concerns may be valid - the emotional benefit of thumb sucking is greater than a slight overbite. Since they are baby teeth, it's impossible to assume that the "damage" will be permanent.

Whatever you do, don't use the THUM product as it contains pepper and is traumatically painful once in a child's mouth. There is no way to rinse it out and the child feels betrayed as her parents become the perpetrators of pain, when she has always been able to count on you to protect her from it.

The world over children suck their thumbs until they feel secure in their world without it.

It sounds like your daughter is doing this out of habit (since she doesn't do it during the day). The bad tasting stuff is a good idea but might not work since she is sucking her thumb when half asleep. This may sound harsh, but you could try bandaging her elbows so that she can't bend them. If she can't bend her elbows she won't be able to get her fingers to her month. It would probably take just a few nights of doing this before she breaks the habit. To help her calm herself try getting her attached to a stuffed animal or blanket. She could go to the store with you and pick it our herself. If you live near a Build-A-Bear she could even make her own. My kids ages 3 and 2 are very attached to the bears they made. Good luck!

I was a thumb sucker as a child and ended up in braces for 3 years during high school as a result. In fact, my thumb still fits almost perfectly into the crook at the top of my mouth. However, I was almost 9 before I stopped and I believe the damage from thumbsucking doesn't occur until after the child is 5 or 6.

But its a good idea to try and stop the habit now. I think the best way to break a bad habit in a child is with positive reinforcement. Set up a chart and give your daughter an incentive to go a week without thumbsucking. Or if she is really into girlie things, paint her nails with nailpolish and tell her its a special nailpolish that doesn't like to be in the mouth because its wet and dark.

Here is a great article about it:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/48/20...

Chances are that your daughter will outgrow it but little reminders and lots of positive reinforcement when she doesn't will help too.

Just to put you at ease a bit, I was a thumbsucker at night until I was in 8th grade! Now, I didn't go to bed, in 8th grade with my thumb in my mouth but would do it in my sleep so don't laugh! :) he he... however, my teeth are nice and straight and I've never had braces.
My parents tried EVERYTHING to get me to stop. Vaseline on my thumbs, socks on my hands, etc... It's a comfort thing, as I'm sure you know. Maybe try a progress chart for her and once she's gone a week w/o sucking her thumb, get her a special toy.
Good Luck!!!

My 1 y.o. daughter sucks her thumb, and when I questioned her dentist about it, he said to let it go for now, and when the time is right.... like at 3 or 4 he could either do something, or give us something to help us help her to stop sucking her thumb. I didn't press any further at the time, but do you by chance take her to a pediatric dentist, and were they able to offer any advice on how to help her stop?

I just helped my daughter stop sucking her thumb. Positive encouragement worked the best (no negative feedback at all). For nighttime, we had her make sock puppets to wear on her hands. She decorated regular socks with markers and was excited to wear them. It all had to be her ideas and her wanting to do it. There are a couple good books out there too. Good luck!

I don't have advice, just experience. My "finger" sucker is the only one of my six with crooked upper teeth. We never figured it out either, but he gave it up when his life got busier.
I always heard that there isn't as much potential damage with baby teeth, I don't know if that is true or not.