Don't Know What to Do About My Daughter Sucking Her Fingers

I sucked my middle two fingers until I was 9!!! When one hand calloused, I would go to the other... and back and forth. By the time I started school, I would only suck them at nap time and bed time. It was a comfort that I loved as I was going to sleep. Finally, after my dad had tried everything (hot sauce, taping a pencil to them, ...), he did the only thing there was left to do... he threatened to take away my allowance... and I quit that night! My teeth did not suffer, infact I always get commented about my smile! Point in story... don't worry about it. Every child is different... and every child has their own habits! My daughter is 9 1/2 months old... and sucks the same two fingers! and although I hope that she doesn't suck them as long as I do... I know it's all part of her growing up and her own little personality.

My daughter was a thumb-sucker even in the womb. She sucked her thumb constantly. It didn't matter which one. I had no clue how I was going to get her to stop. Shortly after her 2nd birthday, she wanted me to paint her fingernails. I painted them bright orange (her favorite color). She kept saying she wanted to show her grandmother. I told her that we were gong to visit her that weekend and she would have to stop sucking her thumb or the nail polish would all come off. I only had to remind her a couple of times but she hasn't sucked her thumb since. Although, I have caught her doing it in her sleep a couple of times. Hope this helps.

Hello!

This is actually very common. Kids suck their fingers/thumbs in most cases for much longer than pacifier kids. I was like this as a child, starting in utero. (As was my mom, her sister, and my brother! LOL)

There is something you can put on her fingers to make them taste bad, I don't know the name of it, your doctor could probably tell you. I wouldn't recommend it though at the age of two though. In my opinion, this is her coping mechanism to whatever is going on around her. No big deal. She will quit when she is ready.

I would maybe just keep the place on her fingers clean as you can and try to put some antibiotic cream w/ a bandaide on to heal it. Or try the bandaide w/ antibiotic ointment already on the bandaide. (My cousin actually sucked right through all the bandages when he had a surgery!)

Hope this was helpful! Take care!

I think it is different. I was a thumb sucker and I can remember sucking my thumb. There is a little girl in our children's church who also sucks her fingers and she is about 8. I think that if you continue to encourage not to do it without making her feel bad, she will eventually stop. As far as the cracking, I would put some type of skin conditioning oil on it. Arbonne makes a very effective one.

My neice is nearly 5 and she still sucks on her first two fingers and has the same dry callouses you are talking about. What my sister-n-law has started doing that works really well is when you catch her taking her fingers out of her mouth praise her for what a big girl she is being. Don't punish her for sucking her fingers because now it has just become a habit and it will take her awhile to break it.
One thing that will work well on the fingers too for the dryness and cracking is to rub aquaphor(it's in the lotion section of the store) on them at night before she goes to bed. Just make sure you rub it in really well because it is a vaseline based product and you wouldn't want her sucking off the extra.
Hope this helps.

My daughter has done the same thing. Same fingers and same hand and we saw her doing it on a sonogram also. And only when she's stressed and it's time for bed. She will be 4 in May. I took her to the dentist just the other day and he said not to worry about it because it's more of a security issue, BUT when she starts to get adult teeth he needs me to break her from it so it doesn't ruin her new teeth. As far as the cracking and bleeding....try keeping lotion on them as much as possible, or maybe you can convince her to suck on the other hand. I know it's hard, It's nice to say I know how you feel. If you need to talk let me know.

hey C.,my oldest daughter took a pacifier until she was 3. my son bit on his fingers when alot when he was around 2.
so i suggest what i did to stop the finger thing. try a wash cloth or blanket something else so there fingers wont get sore.
its just a security thing they will event. stop not a big deal
berni.

C. my 4 year started sucking her thumb as a newborn and is still doing it. My 3 month old just start sucking her firsy 2 fingers. i need help with that. they doctor just told me to let them grow out of it.

Hey!! I know what you mean bout this one. My daughter is 4yrs old and she sucks on two fingers while holding a stuff animal with a tag. She has been doing this since she was a baby when she gave up her pacifer she went to sucking her fingers when she went to sleep.
I have been telling my daughter not to telling her it was nasty. And tell her if she wants to be a big girl she needed to stop. So far its sortof working. Good Luck and God Bless!!

C.
I don't have this problem but I do remeber that a girl I became friends with in the 3rd grade did this and had said she had always done this. When we went into the 7th grade she didn't do it anymore. I actually had forgotten that she did that until I read your story. I don't remember her having sores, though. She never seem to have anyone to bother her over it.