Has anyone’s daughter or son had the issue with thumb sucking. I’ve tried to put mittens on her hands but she just takes them off almost immediately after I put them on her hands. I don’t have anything to put on her thumb to prevent her from doing it. I’m starting to run out of ideas and I have been trying to get her to stop for about a year and a half now. Any advice would be appreciated. There’s no need for bashing do keep it to yourself please. Thanks in advance.
My son was a big time thumb sucker. We put hot sauce on his thumb. He never sucked it again.
There is an apparatus that the dentist can put in place that will not allow your child to suck his thumb. It was a last resort for my daughter and my grand daughter but she still paid the price for braces and it was very expensive
I’m not much help…my daughter is 8 and still a thumb sucker!!! We have tried EVERYTHING!!!
How old is she? My youngest sucked her thumb until about 4. I just let it go, and she eventually stopped on her own.
I’ve heard apple cider finger on the thumb would also help
My son won’t stop sucking his thumb and we’ve tried everything. He’s 9.
Maybe something like this, it makes the nail taste bad
I am 26 years old and have sucked my thumb my entire life. In recent years, only subconsciously like when I’m sleeping, especially if I have a nightmare. My foster moms did everything they possibly could to stop it. I was told it’s a security thing and it’ll stop eventually or it won’t. I haven’t ever had any problems with my teeth from it. I do bite down sometimes in my sleep so I’ll wake up with a sore thumb but other than that it hasn’t caused any problems in my life. Just my two cents
Oral fixation according to Sigmund Freud
Hot sauce if they don’t like spicy food.
Wrap a ace bandage around his albow
Scratch the nails over a bar of soap
She saw a babydoll she really wanted and we made a deal. She was 3 1/2.
She will grow out of it hot sauce is a little much.
He can’t reach his them to his mouth
I’m 38 years old and still suck my thumb (mostly in my sleep). She’ll eventually grow out of it or she won’t. I wouldnt worry too much
Rub a lemon on her thumb she will think twice after tasting it
Pharmacies have a liquid that is placed on the fingers that is non toxic and works. Just ask the pharmacists and the will have it. I used it when my children were growing up. Got nothing to lose by trying it…
My daughter was a finger sucker since being in the womb…we did EVERYTHING!!! Vinegar, special nail polish, mittens, hot sauce, punishment…she didn’t stop until she was good and ready. We just kept reinforcing that big kids didn’t do that and would KEEP telling her over and over to take her fingers out…
It’s not that serious… our pediatrician told us she would rather see children suck their thumb than a pacifier. It’s not going to affect her teeth.
It’s really not that big of a deal. Just roll with it, they grow out of it eventually
My son is 7 and still sucks his fingers. During the day I can get him to stop but he still does it in his sleep so I’m constantly pulling them out of his mouth at night. It’s starting to make his front teeth grow in crooked
Castor oil on her thumb she’ll stop. It broke me of it and my son
My sister is 40 and I’m sure she still sucks her thumb and my best friend is 37 and still sucks her finger no big deal
Maybe a chewy, my son constantly chews his hands, and we’ve found that giving him something that he can put in his mouth made it a little bit better.
I never understood what was wrong w thumb sucking. Let her do it- it’s soothing to her
She’ll grow out of it. If you keep making a fuss of it she’ll do to get the attention
Try putting vinegar on her thumbs. It’s worked for plenty of kids. Unfortunately for me my little liked the vinegar. LOL
I wouldn’t stop until i started school
27 and still suck mine. My mom used to tell me how I would spit/pull the binky out just to suck my thumb.
Still have no problems with my teeth except a small overbite that dentists say could or could not be caused from sucking my thumb.
They’ll either grow out of it or won’t. It’s comforting to them.
I used tobasco sauce. Its a self soothing that is meeting an emotional need she did not get as an infant.
See kids,10+ suckingtgeir thumbs. Not good but there are worse things
Just let them do it, it is a security need thats not being met for some reason (NOT saying its you, its in their mind), but they will grow out of it when the need is no longer there.
My dentist actually told me to let him. He said that he knew (because of mine and dads and brothers teeth) he had a high probability of needing braces anyway, so pick and choose battles. Pediatrician says it helps calm his anxiety. We just have boundaries for it, not out in public, not when we have company (he can in the car). Honestly, I don’t see what it hurts. He’ll quit when he’s ready. My mom and I were both thumb suckers
My daughter sucked her fingers and the pediatrician told me she will stop on her own time…she did just that…I did however discourage her from finger sucking except at bedtime…she stopped on her own at age 8. No worries…they will quit when they are ready.
My granddaughter is 4 almost 5 sucks her thumb when she sleepy.
I was a thumb sucker. Quit in 4th grade. My 10yr son sucked his thumb. Stopped in preschool when the dentist told him it would ruin his teeth. My youngest of 5 is in 1st and was stopping but reverted back. Got a call earlier this week from his teacher about it. We just do reminders that it’s only ok to do when hes in bed for the night. Eventually they will stop but it can take a lot we are finding.
There was a type of nail polish you could get from the chemist years ago that left a foul taste on the nail. Helped my little brother stop.
Get the nail polish that’s for biting nails ( if they still make it ) it’s bitter and nasty
My pediatrician says not to worry til after 3 years old, they usually out grow it
Their is a elbow brace type device that physically prevents your child from being able to bend their arm to suck their thumb.
My friends had to wear a brace in 7th grade to stop her from sucking her thumb.
I sucked my thumb until I was in third grade
We might do a little trade-off give her something she likes sometime they suck their thumb before they’re born I had one to suck her thumb for a long time but she finally quit
I broke myself of it at age 15. Dreams of my first boyfriend and I getting married and him seeing me sucking my thumb.
I used hot sauce, on her thumb, or lemon, eventually they freak out, and stop, especially when they going to sleep put hot sauce on thumb!! Its sound mean but they learn!! !!
When my daughter was a baby I put a paci in each hand because she would try to suck on her thumb and she would play with her eyelashes
I sucked my fingers till I was 12. It was a calming thing for sure. I say let them. My teeth are not horribly crooked or anything.
She is comforting herself! Find out why she needs to do this
I sucked my thumb for years. Grew out of on my own.
My cousin used to suck his thumb and his mom told him if she seen either one of his thumbs in his mouth again she would bash both his thumbs in with a hammer. and he didn’t put his thumbs back in his mouth. and she tried all kinds of before she told him that chifa hot sauce on his thumbs black pepper jalapeno peppers it still didn’t work but the day she told him she would measurement with a hammer he stopped sucking his thumbs
My daughter did until she was 8 and my sister did until she was 14 they stop when they are ready and no matter what you put on them they will suck it off so just leave them do their thing they will stop when ready
I sucked my thumb till I was 10. I finally told my mom to throw my thumbing sucking silky blanket away and quit!
It’s not that important, choose your battles
I tried vinegar on my oldest. Just dipped it in vinegar… she liked it. So that didn’t work. It did work on my middle child. My youngest wasn’t a paci or thumb sucking baby.
I was a thumb sucker as a child and I used it as like a security blanket when scared or sick my parents tried some to get me to stop but I never stopped until I was fully ready I stopped at 12…
I put lotion on my five year olds fingers all the time. It helps! We got rid of the pacifier when she was 6 mos old and she sucked on her fingers from then on. It’s lessened since we’ve done it but on a rare occasion she’ll do it when she sleeps if I forget.
My thought is if this is worst thing she does leave it be .
There is a type of clear nail polish you can put on your nails and it is designed to help stop nail biting because it taste horrible. Maybe that would work. I used to bite my nails really bad when i was younger and thats what my mom and dad used to make me stop.
my dentist said they like to stop them around 4 yrs old…normally they will stop on their own before then though. my daughter does it when shes over tired. its a type f self soothing…my son did the same thing til around 2 yrs old hes currently 3
They usually stop on their own. Raised 4of my own and 10 grandkids now raising 2 great grandbabies bout half used their thumb.
Be tough n tap her hand a little hard but not to hard work on my son , I try everything else in it didn’t work but this did
I didn’t grow out of it until I had my daughter. Just because I didn’t want her to start the habit. I tried a million times to stop but I didn’t. I realized I sucked my thumb because I never felt safe. There’s a long back story but I’d rather not talk about it.
I tried just about everything, and the only time she would suck her thumb would be to go to sleep. I got a pair of old gloves and cut all the fingers off, and kept the thumb in one piece. Then after she fell asleep I would put them on her. I didnt think it would work, but she hasn’t sucked her thumb in MONTHS! Now her teeth are straightening themselves out
One of my nieces is a thumb sucker but will not around me cuz I tell her it’s gross and she’s a big girl. Thats what ive done with all kids around me that suck their thumbs after a certain age and its always worked
You didnt mention her age if you would of stopped her as a baby it would have been so much easier I dont know why parents think it’s cute as a baby it really isnt it wrecks their teeth my son started sucking his finger when he was 20 months and kept on till he was 6 I finally stopped at 6 hes 7 now
Theres some stuff u can buy its called stops-it its fir that purpose i bought it and put it on my nails because i was biting my nails and someone told me about it so i tried it got a nasty taste but its for thumb suckers good luck moma
I used the old fashioned nasty nail polish stuff that is made just for thumb sucking I bought at the pharmacy. Worked for my daughter and granddaughter
Let her do it. Shes self sootheing herself. It doesnt effect their teeth anyways unless their still doing it when their 5
I used to suck on my fingers CONSTANTLY. Then one of my older brother’s friends (9yr age gap) started giving me pocket change every day i didn’t suck on them (I mean it would be like pennies) but I was little and excited to get it so I stopped. He only did it for like 2 weeks (school days when they walked together) and the habit was broken. I may have gotten a dollar total but I was like 4. Looking back, Justin was awesome. He obviously didn’t have to do that, and he thought of it on his own. My parents had been trying to get me to stop for a while.
My niece sucked her thumb till she was 6 and had the prettiest teeth out of all her siblings.
She will.stop when shes ready.look at the bright side she won’t ever leave her paci at home or drop it.
Leave it alone. She’ll stop when she’s ready.
My three year old occasionally does it to self-soothe when she’s upset or tired. I haven’t tried to stop it yet because it isn’t excessive and it’s the only way she has ever soothed herself (she never liked pacifiers, blankets, or stuffed animals). I think she will eventually outgrow it and if she doesn’t, I’ll address it. For now, it’s a comfort for her and I figure there are more important things to worry about.
My brother did so ended up with infection the doctor had to remove the skin from thumbs and wrap them. I was so paranoid i never let my son do it
Good luck with that my almost 15 year old still does it. With damage to teeth. After telling her for years that she would need braces if she didn’t stop. We used duck tape, the nasty nail polish, you name it we’ve tried it. She just FINALLY realized the damage is so bad she can stick her tongue out with mouth closed and is actually trying to quit the BAD HABIT!
I can’t remember what it’s called… but there’s a nail polish for this exact thing. It tastes like crap. Maybe try that. She won’t want to suck her thumb after that.
There’s no need to stop her from sucking her thumb. She’s found a way to regulate her feelings and comfort herself when she’s stressed. Leave her alone. She’ll quit when she’s ready. Or she won’t quit but she’ll learn to keep her habit to herself. Who cares.
Good luck mine is now 33. I tried everything he didn’t care even if the kids in school teased him. It took braces on his teeth and he couldn’t get the thumb in the way he wanted. He was either 10 or 11. I wouldn’t buy a big boy bicycle. Until he stopped sucking his thumb. But I promise your child won’t get married sucking their thumb. Good luck momma.
When she’s ready to she will I used to my parents tried pepper etc maybe just a little dash of hot sauce or dish soap I used to do that 1 when my son was little and said a bad word
My daughter was 5 when my fiance and I started to really get tough about her stopping the thumb sucking. Her teeth were getting messed up and it was realigning her jaw. She would find a way no matter what. She only did it at bedtime. So what I did was. Put thick socks on her hands. I duct taped them at the wrist. Just tight enough that she couldn’t get them off. It didn’t hurt I’d make sure. She really did want to stop but just couldn’t. We did this for about a week and then tried the night with it off. There were a few nights we would have to go in in the middle of the night and take her thumb out of her mouth but other than that she stopped.
I sucked my thumb until first grade. No big deal. She’ll give it up eventually!
My mom tried everything with me. It was awful. I didn’t stop till I was 14! Pushed my teeth out and my 11 yr old has the same problem. We try and try
There are several different “bitter” products, creams and sprays for thumb suckers or nail biters.
My daughter sucked her thumb when she had ahold of her blanket. So once the blanket had an “accident” when it got washed and it went away. She also had visited the dentist and he told her she had to try and stop. Then my husband and I would just be consistent to take her thumb out of her mouth if we saw her and remind her what the dentist said. She is 7 and I’ll check on her at night and she will still have her thumb by her mouth like her subconscious wants to suck her thumb.
I cant get my 4yo to stop! Im scared it going to ruin her teeth
My 4yr old great grandaughter chews her nails horrible
I wrapped them with duct tape to save their teeth. But I still feel like such a bad mom to this day for doing it. They both quit though. Such a bad mom.
I gave my greatgranddaughter a choice if she guit for 30 days I would give her 50 dollars she guilt and never did it again
Let her suck her thumb, it is comforting to her. My son is 9 and still sucks his from time to time at night if he is anxious or has trouble sleeping. My older son sucked his at night only until about 9 or 10 and he outgrew it, just as almost all kids do. And neither of my kids have any dental issues from sucking their thumb.
My 9 month old has done it since she was 3 or 4 months, I just let her go. It’s her way to self soothe.
They will stop eventually on their own usually around 5-6.
She will stop on her own it is a comfort thing
My cousin put hot sauce on his daughters thumb because she wouldn’t stop but I believe they will stop on their own
my son is 4 and we STILL have this problem. I feel like I’ve tried EVERYTHING. and hes still doing it
One of mine like to suck her two middle fingers. When she put blisters on them I put Band-Aids on them and she stopped so I don’t know if it was the Band-Aids or cause it hurt maybe I don’t know but she stopped
My granddaughter did that too and my daughter was smart enough to leave her alone. She’s now 17 and has long stopped.
mine has reduced to doing it only at night and she is 10yrs, and the is 1i know she is now 16yrs and still do it every day I guess they will leave it on their own.
I worked 20+ years in dentistry. I know everyone worries about their teeth. My employer never concerned him much. He always said that the amount of pressure put on teeth varies to how the thumb bone sits against back of front teeth. Percentage wise majority end up having braces later. So he always told parents to not make the thumb sucking a big deal. Most children stopped on their own while parents that took it on seriously to break the habit themselves struggled for much past time kids had quit.