Thumb Sucker - Stockton,CA

Hi. My sister sucked her thumb for a really long time. I think she was in 2nd grade when finally the dentist put a retainer like in her mouth but it had 2 prongs that came down. The prongs didnt bother anything she could still eat & talk but she couldn't put her thumb in her mouth. Her teeth were really bad. Her 2 front teeth stuck straight out of her mouth. She looks great now & you would never know. I know this is extreme advice but this is what worked finally for my sister. I'm trying to stop the pacifier with my girl & I don't pay any attention to her until she takes it out. That's working to some degree.

Hi Desirae,
My two year old has the same problem, however it has not affected her thumbnails yet.

I just constantly stay on her about removing her thumb! I have finally got dad to back me on this and he tells her she has to take her thumb out too. Sounds like your little one will suck either thumb too. I think she is at an age where she can clearly understand I do not want her sucking her thumb, so soon I will start giving her a short time out when she is obstinant about it. It sounds harsh, but it is for their own good. The doctor and I just had a long talk about time out and Sierra definately does not want time outs. Send me a message if you care to hear.

It is my understanding that thumb sucking is a security and comfort issue, but there are two parents here, no fights, an adult sister who adores her, so I think at this point it has just turned into a bad habbit.

Best of luck.
C.

I know I need to get my daughter to stop too. She is 3 and her teeth look pretty bad from it. I hope to find a solution too.

Hi, I don't know if I can help, but I was a thumb sucker until I was 11yrs. I also had my first open heart surgery at 14 months old and my 2nd at six years. My thumb was my comfort when I was sick and my mom didn't want to take that from me at that time. Later my mom did try everything to get me to stop, but it didn't help. I would find a way to suck my thumb. I was teased alot in school and even when I didn't suck my thumb I was teased for it. I only stopped when we moved to sacramento from san francisco. I was able to stop all on my own, because I wanted to. I know I sucked my thumb from birth and my daughter, 3yrs, started before she was born. I have proof of it. At my 22wk ultrasound they took a picture of her sucking her thumb, so that habit was formed way before she was born. Also my teeth are fine, I never had braces. I also never sucked the skin and nails off my thumb, so I understand the need to get her to stop.

You said she started at 9 months. Was there anything going on that might have been stressful to her? Is there anything now that is stressful to her? Thumb sucking is what comforts her. When does she suck her thumb? My daughter sucks hers when she is tired or not feeling well. Maybe try to give her something else to comfort her instead of her thumb. It sounds as if she does not want to stop, so instead of fighting her head on, try giving her a reason to stop. Maybe she gets a special treat she really wants if she goes all day without sucking her thumb and a big reward when she kicks the habit altogeather.

I hope this helps and feel free to contact me if you want to talk more.

My son is 18 months and we have seen a pediatric dentist for his teeth because they have gone so far out. He said that as long as he stops between 3-4 his teeth will redjust itself. We are also expecting and he said to wait til the baby comes to get him to stop.

Right now he is not allowed to suck his thumb in the day time. All we do is remind him get the thumb out and he will. I will work on the nightime after the baby.

Maybe your daughter is having a hard time because she has a new baby too.

The pedicatric dentist also said they have got to want to stop and if you do a bunch of things to make them stop it only makes it worse. I myself was a thumb-sucker til I was 5. My parents took me to the dentist and they were going to put spikes in my mouth I was so scared I never sucked my thumb again. But your 2 year old might not understand this.

So I think you should start a little at a time like limit day time thumb sucking. With either reminding her or time out like the other mom said. Then work on the night time thumb sucking.

Go to your dentist. My daughter might have to get an appliance in her mouth to stop it. Good luck!

Dear Desirae,

Just buy a pacifier - but get the one that sort of 'goes up', it doesn't hurt the teeth formation. Some children need to do that sucking action longer than others. It is hard to see your baby with peeling skin and finger nails almost gone, but the pacifier will satisfy her.

Be sure to try out several until she likes one. Then buy 2 or 3 extras of her favorite one, in case one gets lost. You can clean them in hot boiling water, and it will be bacteria free again - but she will have a substitute pacifier while the other one is being cleaned up.

Don't listen to people who are against pacifiers - you know, these kids just have to send us signals about what they need, and we need to watch and listen for those signals and then satisfy their needs. They are babies, not soldiers being trained.

O.K.? I hope that this helps you, C. N.