Thumb Sucker - Nashua, NH

I sucked my thumb until I was 12, and I am the only one in my family who was a thumb-sucker, and the only one who didn't need braces. What got me to quit was that my mother told me that if I quit sucking my thumb, she would quit smoking. It worked like a charm. Seeing as your daughter is only 3 years old, try putting the pepper-flavored nailpolish on her thumbs. A friend of mine did this for her 4 year old and he stopped within a few weeks. Good Luck!

My uncle use to play a silly game with me, I was a constant thumb sucker for quite some time. He would always ask "hey, what flavor is your thumb?" It made me laugh and eased the pressure of having to give it up. The thumb serves a purpose for your daughter, she will stop when she's ready. Until then try to look on the lighter side of it!

Hi My son stopped sucking his thumb when he was 5. He is healthy and has nice teeth. My husband and I at one point were on him all the time about it, but we both found that if we left him alone he sucked his thumb less. And now at 6 yrs old he wouldnt dream of sucking his thumb. He sees himself as such a BIG boy!! he has found that stuffed animals or just quiet time gives him as much security now as his thumb did then. Dont worry about it too much. She will stop eventually. And 3 is still so little.

The busier her hands and mind are the less time she has to suck her thumb. Find things to engage her, building, clay/dough,etc. She will also eventually give in to peer pressure.

I sucked my thumb right until I moved in with my boyfriend at 17years old. Good luck, I never did it in public or put it in my mouth sleeping out. Although sometimes I would wake at a friends in the morning with it in my mouth. I also had braces.

my oldest daughter who is now 22 sucked her finger until she was 10. she is a healthy successful adult now. when your daughters ready she will stop. her thumb sucking is her security there is no harm in it except her teeth, but chances are even if she wasnt a thumb sucker she would need braces. my two other daughters wernt suckers and still needed braces, my oldest didnt, go figure.

This might sound gross but keep wiping her hands with alcohol hand sanitizer. The taste is gross and she won't like it. I also have a similar problem with one of my twin 3 year old girls and this works during the day. We let her suck her thumb only when she is in bed.
D.