please HELP!!!!!?

Question

does anyone know how i can get my 8 yr old son to stop sucking his thumb? serious answers only please

i will not punish him for having a habit! and i am still with his father and he is very much loved and always 1st priority

thanks to all that have given serious answers. its very much appreciated

Answer 1

My daughter is 7 and we are working on that as well. The dentist told her she had to stop sucking her thumb because it is actually mishaping the palet of her mouth. It is starting to conform to the shape of her thumb.
The bitter nail stuff didnt work at all with us. She found out that once its off she can happily suck her finger again. But I gave her the reasons why she shouldnt suck her finger and told her that we would work on it together. I remind her everytime i see her sucking, which is less and less, although at bedtime its a different story. She does it automatically in her sleep, so we put on a pair of thin socks. She doesnt mind them, she calls them her gloves. It takes time! Its such a habit.. OH and the dentist said there is an orthodontic rake device that can be used as the last measure. I hate the idea because it sounds really uncomfortable and also isnt removable until the dentist takes it off, which is usually a few weeks. >Good luck and patience.

Answer 2

Undateed -- Most parents cringe at the sight of their children sucking their thumbs. Bacteria and germs, of course, are one issue. But another concern is the timeworn belief that thumb sucking can lead to the development of buck teeth, a notion that despite its reputation as an old wives' tale is no exaggeration.

About 80 percent of infants and children suck their thumbs. The behavior is considered normal during the first four years of life, driven by a natural desire that was at some point probably essential to survival. But it starts to cause problems when continued past a certain age.

That point, according to the American Dental Association, is roughly age 6, when a child's permanent teeth begin to grow in. The problem appears at first as a slight misalignment of the teeth, called a malocclusion, that goes away if the habit is stopped. But over time, in some people, the thumb eventually pushes the top teeth out, at which point only an orthodontist can make a difference.

Dr. David Horwitz, a pediatrician at the New York University School of Medicine, said children at risk of developing a thumb sucking habit that reaches that stage can often be spotted early.

"There are babies where every time you do an ultrasound on the mother they seem to be sucking their thumbs," Dr. Horwitz said. "Some babies are definitely sucking their thumbs from the time they are born, and I tell you those babies are destined to be longtime thumb suckers."

The bottom line of all this: Thumb sucking, although a normal behavior, can lead to buck teeth if continued past age 4

HOW TO STOP IT!
http://oliverthebear.com/index.htm

Answer 3

1) Put that stuff to stop people biting their nails
on his thumb.

2) Get a reward chart & put something he really
wants at the end ie every day he doesn't
suck his thumb he gets a star, 20 stars & he
gets a present for doing so well

Remember tho that sucking his thumb may just be a habit he has to get out of but it can also be a comfort reaction when he is unsure or unhappy. You need to find out which reason is the cause.

Answer 4

interesting answers

i dont agree with the punishment rubbish, and as for being blamed because you didn't breastfeed him enough - my son didn't get breast fed at all and he never sucked his thumb.

im afraid that i cant help much - as none of my children did this. the only thing i can add is that many children have habits that are hard to break - just patience and perseverence on your part should pay off in the end.

some of the other answers here have been really good though so i think that you should maybe find something to help you.

good luck

Answer 5

hiya,my 8 year old daughter still sucks her thumb. it is just a habbit or a comfort that hopefully she will grow out of but her dad hates it whereas i feel the same as you,you cant punish kids for having harmless habbits. saying that,it dosent look good at school concerts etc when the rest of the class are singing away and she is trying to sing with a thumb in her mouth. i do try and encourage her to stop and have even put stop n grow on her thumb(stuff to stop nail biting) but that didnt work. my 22 year old sister still sucks her thumb as does my sister in law who is in her 40s so its not just kids. i really dont know how to stop it either but dont worry about it,he will stop in his own time and if he dosent,always remember he could have much worse habbits than this,its harmless!!! what i try to do though is encourage my wee one only to suck her thumb at night when she is tired

Answer 6

There are many root causes to this and just as many theories on what they are. Several suggest it is a nipple replacement or mammalian sucking instinct not satisfied (for those of us bottle fed) Either way it is an insecurity reaction. he probably has a blanket or favourite comforter somewhere.
He will probably grow out of it. However, if you are in the UK and watch Big Brother you will see that Jayne (now gone) is 35 and still sucked her thumb and Aisleen (Ashleen or how she spells it) has the occasional comfort moment

Answer 7

I wouldnt worry too much about this as your son will grow out of his thumb sucking, I sucked my thumb as a child and would even now wake up some mornings with my thumb in my mouth!!

Answer 8

I had to break myself of the habit when i was 13 (a bit of an insecure childhood) but past age 9 or so i only did it at night falling asleep. so maybe tell him he can only do it at night. also, take him to an orthodontist that can show him pictures of what people's teeth looked like that suck their thumbs, and how he may need braces and/or headgear...that may work..

Answer 9

He will grow out of it naturally- you shouldnt force him to stop.... However, I can appreciate that it can be a bit frustrating, so I would suggest that you have him around other boys his own age(preferably those who dont suck their thumbs). This will kind of manipulate him and hopefully he wont want his friends to see him sucking his thumb. Im keeping my fingers crossed for you...

Answer 10

My sister sucked her thumb past 10 I think. I remember my parents had a plastic brace like thing they put over her thumb (it taped on). They also tried putting bad tasting stuff on her thumb. She eventually stopped.