#stopthumbsucking

You can rest assured that sucking is one of an infant’s natural reflexes. Children begin to suck their thumbs or other fingers while they are in the womb. Infants and young children may suck on thumbs, other fingers, pacifiers or other objects. It makes them feel secure and happy, and it helps them learn about their world.

Placing a thumb or another finger in the mouth provides some children with a sense of security during difficult periods, such as when they are separated from their parents, surrounded by strangers or in an unfamiliar environment. Since thumb sucking is relaxing, it also may help induce sleep. For this reason, young children may suck their thumbs in the evening or at other times when they are tired.

Intervening on a thumb-sucking habit is especially important if the behavior continues past the age of 5. Some advice to help your child stop thumb-sucking includes :

Sometimes, less reaction from parents is better than more. Many kids suck their thumbs to receive attention, get their way in a disagreement or get something they want. If parents give in to this behavior, their kids may quickly start to link thumb-sucking with receiving what they want.

Use positive reinforcement when your child does not engage in thumb-sucking behavior. Reward them with a fun activity for the good behavior.

Use a calendar to keep better track of your child’s behavior. Mark days when no thumb-sucking takes place.

Kids who suck their thumbs often do so to relieve stress or if they feel out of sorts. Give them hugs, or sit them down for reassuring talks to ease their stress – and yours!

Give children a stuffed toy, a pillow or some other comforting item to make them feel safe and secure.

Parents can also purchase mouth guards and other devices to prevent or cease thumb-sucking. Check with your orthodontist, dentist or doctor for possible options. You can deviate your child from thumb sucking by creating interest towards some interesting story books by detailed explanation of some stories.

Thumbuddy To Love is a positive teaching tool along with an illustrated story book, thumb puppet and success chart to help stop thumb sucking. The thumb puppet can be worn day or night and is a positive reminder of the importance to stop thumb or finger sucking. The book includes a calendar with stickers, so children get involved, marking off days they do not suck their thumb/fingers.

Its been very busy at the Clinic lately and I've been a bit neglectful of the blog of late!  Miss H's visit today reminded me how much I love sharing our wonderful successes here at the clinic. 

Miss H's mother had tried EVERYTHING to stop her sucking her thumb.  She'd used toilet rolls on Miss H's arms to stop her thumb going into her mouth, nail polish, guards - the last resort was that her dentist had recently put in a plate to discourage her sucking.  Mum called me 1 week later - not one thing had worked.  Miss H's parents were at the end of their tether....

Miss H stopped sucking on the first day of the program.  Her photos (the second one taken 4 months later) show an incredible improvement in her open bite - yet another case to confirm the findings of our research with James Cook University that our program assists with the closure of open bites, a notoriously difficult issue to fix orthodontically.