Need Help Trying to Get 51/2 Year Old Son to Stop Sucking His Fingers.....

I am going to assume that he does this mainly at night...if so(I guess you can even try it during the day) put a pair of socks on his hands-some may say that is mean...My one daughter ALWAYS had her fingers in her mouth(wasn't a thumb sucker or anything)and after a couple of times of her wearing socks on her hands-including when we went outside or to the store-she stopped..good luck!

B., I've got a 5 1/4yr old daughter - same issue. It helps that she wants to wear nail polish and I won't let her because I hate the idea of her eating it off. She does fine while awake but those pesky little things would sneak their way in every night! We are using Thumb - one of those liquids you put on their fingers that tastes bad. It suggests you put it on the nail but I put it on the side of her fingers that touch her tongue so she can taste it. Also tried a glove at night, but she just took it off in her sleep!Good luck on your end! LacyLyn

I understand where you are coming from as I have a 5 1/2 year old that will not stop sucking his thumb. If you get any good information please pass it on to me. We have already tried the medicine you put on their nails that is like fingernail polish. One of those made everything he touched taste gross so he couldn't eat and if he touched our hands it stayed on our hands too. The other one he says tastes like sour barbecue sauce so he doedsn't mind the taste of it which makes it useless. I am at my wits end. I have even tried the reward method of telling him if he goes so many days without sucking his thumb he will get a reward. This worked for a few days and then nothing. Good luck and please let me now if you come up with any other ideas.

I am a PT working mom with a great husband of 9 years. My son is our only pride and joy.

This is creepy but it has worked for my three kids.
I got my children to keep their fingers out of their mouths by telling them the graphic consequences.
They are thoroughly disgusted when I explain how pinworms are transferred by the infected child scratching the anus picking up the eggs under the fingernails & depositing them on what they touch. Then when you pick up the eggs on your hands by sharing the same objects you swallow them if you put your fingers in your mouth. The eggs travel through the gut to become pinworms that come out through the anus causing itching.

We had a similar challenge. Our son was a finger-sucker and 'stopped' the fingers and switched to the thumb. He finally was aware of needing to stop, and we agreed with him that it would be hard. Eventually, with vigilence, we stopped the day habit, but the bed time was more difficult. We would remove his thumb/fingers from his mouth when we went to bed, which worked. Eventually when he signed on the stopping, we tried the sock over the hand. What really worked for him, was putting a band-aid around the fingers or thumb...he would place the band-aids himself (we let him take charge, and he said it reminded him not to suck. That, plus a reward for when the habit was broken, took care of it. Good luck...habits are a hard thing to break!

I dont have any children old enough who has this problem but I have a nephew who did. When he was 3 1/2 almost 4 I think he was doing the same thing and my sister was telling me she didnt know what to do.
Then I just said why dont you just put bandaids on his finger and see what happens. Sure enought it worked for him and he finally stopped. I dont know if it felt weird to him or what. But as soon as he would stick his thumb and or finger in his mouth he would pull it out right away. Not sure again if it was a weird feeling, taste, or the fact that it had cartoons and he didnt want to take it off, I guess kids love bandaids......... Hey i'm sure it's worth a try right. Good luck....... Let us know what happens

B., I had the same problem with my grandaughter. If you dunk the thumb in white vinegar on a regular basis that might help. D.