Thumb sucking is a common behavior found in humans, chimpanzees and other primates. It is one of the first coordinated acts a baby does that brings comfort and pleasure.
A baby reflexively sucks any object placed in its mouth after birth; this is the sucking reflex which disappears after about 4 months of age. Thumb sucking is an instinctive behavior and thus may last longer.
Is thumb sucking normal?
It is normal in babies and young children and this natural urge decreases after the age of 6 months. Thumb sucking can become a habit in babies who use it to comfort themselves when they are hungry, scared, restless sleepy or bored. Slowly, the children stop on their own between the ages of 3 and 6. Nevertheless some older children retain the habit, sometimes into adulthood. In adults, thumb sucking maybe due to stereotypic movement disorder, another psychiatric disorder or simply habit continuation, where the adult can avoid social implications by stealthfully indulging or by ignoring any outside reaction.
Implications of thumb sucking
Prolonged thumb sucking may cause a child to develop dental and speech problems.
- It can cause a child’s teeth to become improperly aligned or push the teeth outward.
- Prolonged contraction of the cheek muscles during thumb sucking lead to malformation of the palate roof of the mouth resulting in a narrow upper arch.
- Speech problems include mispronouncing Ts and Ds, lisping and thrusting out the tongue when talking.
- Anterior open bite: as a result of restricted incisor eruption and supraeruption of buccal teeth. Altogether thumb sucking gives a bad appearance.
How to stop it?
Experts recommend that thumb sucking be ignored in a child who is of preschool age or younger because most kids stop the habit on their own.
Children who suck their thumbs may need treatment when they:
- Also pull their hair (especially between the ages of 12 and 24 months of age)
- Develop dental or speech problems due to their habit
- Feel embarrassed or are teased due to their behavior.
- Suck their thumb often or with great intensity after the age of 4 or 5.
The best way to get your child to stop sucking his/her thumb is to find ways to help his/her stop it on their own.
- Give your child extra attention and observe to see what provokes thumb sucking. Find more helpful ways to deal with stress.
- Talk openly to your child about thumb sucking.
- Develop and motivate your child with a reward system, recording each day that your child does not suck on his or her thumb. After a certain number of days, have a celebration.
- Apply something that tastes bad on your child’s thumb like vinegar or pickle juice, but with his permission, as a means of helping him achieve his goal. Then when he sucks his thumb out of habit, this will remind him what he’s trying to accomplish. This treatment is successful when combined with reward therapy.
- Put on gloves or wrap your child’s fingers with a bandage to remind him not to thumb suck.
- Distract you child when he starts the habit and engage him in an activity that requires both hands.
- Peer pressure is a powerful motivator; invite his young friends who don’t suck their thumbs.
If these treatments aren’t successful other methods such as behavioral therapy, thumb devices and oral devices are available to help prevent thumb sucking.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a very nice article, thank you so much. My young daughter is a thumb sucker and she is 2.5 years now, I am trying to talk with her about it, giving her prizes and ditract her attention when she start sucking her finger, I think this works, but slowly.
Helpful post. The trick is to catch things early. Getting an infant to take to a pacifier instead of a thumb or digit can make a big difference once they’re ready to stop. A crib appliance will quickly break the habit for older children.
Dr. Joe