Thumbsucking

C.,
Wow, 12 huh? that's a harder one, they are smart enough to know how to get around all teh tricks we try on our babies... I guess you almost get to the level of does she want to quit? You said you have tried gloves and bad tasting stuff, have you tried athletic tape? it's harder to get off and you could wrap both thumbs at night... (just a thought I have no idea if that would work)
My best friend had an orthodontic apperatis put in her mouth, it looked pretty midevil, but it basicaly went on the roof of her mouth and made it very uncomfortable to suck her thumb. Perhaps you could inquire into something like that..

I toothought we were going to have this battle since my daughter was a thumb sucker, unfortunatly when she was 2 she burned her whole hand on our stove with 2nd degree burns and was unable to suck her thumb through the inch of gauss wrapped around her thumb,(it was awful) afer 3 weeks she was over it.... So I can tell you that it should take about 3 weeks or so to break the habit, perhaps longer....

Good luck..
H.

My daughter also sucked her thumb late in life. She even did it at school when she was nervous or upset or not feeling good. The last thing I tried finally worked. She really wanted to get her ears pierced so I told her if she could stop sucking her thumb for a month then I would take her down to get that done.
Find something she really really would like and try to convince her to stop by using that for you benifit.
I hope it helps.
Be very encouraging for everytime you think she is not doing it, so she knows your know shes trying.
Good luck and it will happen.
K.

I sucked my thumb well in to my teenage years, and I still remember to this day the calm that sucking my thumb brought to me. I read somewhere once that it actually releases a chemical from the brain which makes it an even harder habit to break. I did not stop completely until I was too embarrassed of what my boyfriend would think. Even then I recall the challenge. As with any habit or change, it has to be something that is desired from within. I do not have a serious overbite, and I do not regret giving it up sooner. When your child wants to, they will give it up, and it is then that you should lend your support, through strength, love, consistancy, reward, and if desired hypnosis or counseling.

There was a fabulous book I picked up at the Fresno County Library on thumbsucking entitled "Helping the Thumb Sucking Child" by Rose Marie van Norton. It showed photos of children's teeth who had been thumbsuckers, and the transformation of their teeth once they stopped thumbsucking. The book suggested sitting down with your child and discussing the ramifications of the the thumbsucking, and laid out a contract that you and your child could draw up outlining the steps to breaking the habit. It set up agreed-upon incentives that the child would be able to earn as he/she reached agreed upon goals. I had a headstrong thumbsucking daughter who took one look at the photos and sat down to put together the contract with me. That thumb definitely came out. She still has the sock gloves she made herself to wear to bed at night to keep her thumb out of her mouth. Hope this helps!

Hi C.,
I work at a children's dental office, and can assure you that this will DEFINITELY affect her teeth. Is her mouth "pointed" in the front? Or does it look like she has an overbite? She is growing permanent dentition in her mouth at this age, and if she doesn't stop, you will be spending some money on orthodontics to correct the damage. With young children we try "coaching" them to stop with small things, like, the bad taste, and gloves, etc. But for children that cannot stop on their own, there is an appliance called "a thumbsucking device" that is custom made to fit in her mouth, and is cemented in. Like a retainer, with a little cage that sits just behind the front upper teeth. It helps "remind" them when they go to suck their thumb. It is not painful, but sometimes just showing the patients the device is motivation enough.(especially at your daughter's age), when appearance is starting to matter. Ask your child's dentist about it, and see if they can help you out. Don't believe when people tell you , she will just grow out of it, and not to worry. She may just grow out of it, but not before she does damage to her bite that will need to be corrected with braces. I hope this helps you, and congratulations in taking an interest in your daughter's oral health. A lot of people don't think it's as important as their physical health, but it is.

i sucke two figers until i was 13 my mom tried everything but nothing worked, it was the summer before i started high school my mom took a picture of me sleeping while sucking my fingers and told me if i didn't stop she would show it to all my friends after that i quit right away i was done because i didn;t want my mom to embarass me, now my daughter sucks the same two finger on the oppsite hand, and her dentist told me to wean her by the time she is 4 she just turned 3 and i tried putting gross stuff on her fingers but it doesn't work, i don't want her to need braces or lots of work, when i was young they wanted to break my jaw and re attach it because i have an overbite from sucking my fingers my mom wouldn't do that to me so i still have a little overbite.

Hi C.. I agree with you. lol. I honestly think this is something that a lot of kids go through. There is not much more you can do except wait. You said you already put bad-tasting stuff on her thumbs right? And you've had her where gloves? I don't think you should worry to much about this.
If she was still sucking on a bottle...yes. I would be concerned. But its like I said. Its a security thing. I have heard of many children who suck their thumbs for years. My son, who was never a thumb sucker, is now starting at night time. We are switching him from sleeping with us to sleeping in his own bed. His thumb has become a subsitute for feeling mommy's body next to him.
Don't be too worried ok? Just be patient with her and it will fix itself I'm sure. Good luck. Best Wishes, T.

Maybe you could bribe her with weekly manicures? Great way to spend some girl-time together, and if she takes pride in her nails, she might be less likely to put her thumb in her mouth.

Hi C.,

I agree with Carolyn, at this point your limited with options. My son is five years old and use to only suck his thumb when he had his blankie, so I took it away (we had a good-bye cermony for it), then I noticed he started sucking at night and he didn't even know it. I too am in the dental field and previously worked in a childrens dental office, the doctors philiospy was to let them until they were five, he too thought it was a security thing but then start working to get them off of it. Well, easier said then done! I recently talked to an orthodontist who said the earlier we get them to stop the better. I think I'm going to have him put an appliance in. And trust me, they aren't what they use to be, there arn't prongs or spikes, it's more like a retainer but permanant. I wish I had worked with him a little earlier on this habit, but that's the past and I can only do what I can now. Fortunatly he still has his baby teeth and we have some room to correct the problem. Your daughter is at an age where kids are in braces anyway, and some think it's a cool thing - take advantage of that. At this point I'm sure she's a good canadate for ortho, but the appliance may be the first step in the process of the treatment. Good luck and I feel your pain!! L.