How to Discourage Finger Sucking?

when my sister was little she did this as well... my parents took her to a dr or dentist and they basically put an appliance behing her top teeth... it was kind of like a fork so when she tried to suck her fingers, it was not comfortible at all... I honestly don't know how long she had it in, but I don't really think it took too long for her to stop sucking her fingers after that.

http://www.thirdage.com/healthgate/files/14321.html

Hi O..
Don't worry. She's still so young. I would, however, take her to the Dentist to make sure she isn't harming/inhibiting/changing the formation of her jaw/teeth. As long as she is developing, "normally", I wouldn't worry. Most children drop the "habit" once they enter school.
If you REALLY don't want her to continue, then there are many websites you can visit for information on how to get her to stop.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5897_stop-child-sucking.html
http://www.drgreene.com/21_856.html

Take Care and be patient! :o)
D.

My daughter sucked her two middle fingers on her right hand until she was 6. The orthodontist told us she HAD to stop. She needed an expander for the roof of her mouth because it had grown to the shape of her fingers. Her fingers were longer too from all the sucking. The only thing that worked for her was a mitten on her hand, not a glove has to be a mitten so she couldn't seperate her fingers. She didn't wear it to school, but when she was at home it was on. It took about 2 weeks of crying at night, fussing during the day etc. before she just didn't want to do it anymore.

Hi O.:

I was a dental assistant for 4 years before I got pregnant and had my kids. You have pretty much named everything that we would tell the parents to do with their kids. There is one more thing you can try. If she's kindov a girly girl, then she cares about being "pretty", and chances are by now that she has left marks on her fingers, from sucking on them so much. If this is the case, you can try telling her to look at her fingers, and that they're not going to be pretty like she is if she doesn't stop. The marks will go away soon after she stops sucking. I hope that helps you. Good luck and God Bless you! H.

My son had the same problem. I tried everything to stop him.I tried old remidees and noyhing would help.Finally I was at the store and these older ladies were ahead of me.Anyways to make a long story short,I asked the ladies to look at the little boy sucking his thumb.It embaressed him so bad he stoped right then.It might not work on your child but it wont hurt to try.Its just a suggestion. J.

My grandmother actually did this with my uncle. Thell her for a few days that if she keeps sucking her fingers they will start to turn blue and fall off. After she goes to sleep one night paint them with some blue food coloring. Hopefully when she sees this it will cause her to stop for fear of losing her fingers. Sounds sad, but it worked. Good luck!

try giving her a hard candy when you see her sucking; like a jolly rancher.

If you're serious enough to spend some money, an orthodontist can place a metal bracket accross the roof of your daughters mouth. These appliances are not painful, but children cannot suck their fingers or thumbs with them on. My friend is considering getting one for her 10 yr old daughter that still sucks her thumb at night. I hope this helps...

I sucked on my finger until I was in Kinder. My parents tried to get me to stop but I would not. I would try to hide it. My dad finally took measures into his own hands and dipped my finger into Jalepeno juice. I put my finger into my mouth for the last time. It seems extreem but it apparantly worked. I now a problem with my three and a half year old who sucks on his tongue. He never took a pacifier as an infant like my older son. I keep asking him to stop sucking on his tongue and he will while I watch him but then he goes right back to it. I guess I need to take the advice of many of you and talk to the dentist about this and see if it is hurting his teeth in any way.

-C.

Let me know if anyone's advice works! I have an almost 2 year old that does the same thing! I thought it was a phase that would soon end but It hasn't!

My 4 year old does the same thing. (first two fingers, not thumb) Her pediatric dentist said as long as she quits before her permanent teeth come in she won't harm anything.

I'd still like her to quit though! I do try to help her think about why she wants to suck them. That helps a bit. (sleepy, hungry or just because)

IF you're concerned about her teeth, talk to her dentist - who may recommend a pediatric orthodontist. They make an appliance that is cemented to the back teeth and discourages tongue thrusting and finger / thumb sucking through some mild physical discomfort. (I think they call them tongue cages). If they say don't worry, don't worry. :)

S.

Olive,

Your little one finds comfort in sucking her thumb. You will need to find something else, that you can tolerate, that she finds comfort in. Like a blanket, a small pillow, or a doll.
The mitten idea is good and she will grow to dislike it. You will need to tie it on to her hand so that so doesn't get to her thumb. Especially if she sucks at night. This will take a few weeks of rejection and crying but she will get past that and the love for her thumb. Then, of course, you will have to deal with the substitute. Also reward her at the end of the day, then at the end of a week for say 5 or six days of success, with some small treat. (i.e. a piece of her favorite fruit or a jello cup or cookie for a one day treat, and a trip to the library or the zoo for a full week of not sucking. You can use a calander, of hers to keep track of her record.

Good Luck,
mamapri

I don't know if this will help you, but my lil cousin would suck on her pointer finger constantly. She was about 5 and under different circumstances she had her front two teeth pulled out. Well, they were taking a while to come back in because she was so young. But we told her if she wanted her teeth to grow back she had to stop sucking her finger. We told her her finger was blocking her teeth from coming back in. She stopped probably within the next week. The other lady that said "her fingers won't be pretty" is kinda what I'm getting at. Choose something that will affect her in her own way.