My daughter always sucks her fingers for comfort and gets alot of germs and bacteria in her mouth so therefore she gets sick alot more than other kids. I want her to stop before she turns 4 so that she won't do it in school. What should I do?
2006-07-25 04:44:54 · 21 answers · asked by Buck Fush! 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Here's what I did - started painting my daughter's fingernails. She thought that they were pretty and always wanted to look at that and for a kid who constantly was sucking her fingers, the habit was broken instantly. Good luck.
2006-07-25 04:47:31 · answer #1 · answered by Lex 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't worry about it. She'll stop, and if she doesn't its her fingers and her teeth (even if there were any potential that the teeth would be pushed forward). As a former thumb-sucker I can tell you that when my father would remind me by saying in a sing-songy voice, "T-h-u-m-b", every time he noticed the thumb-sucking, it made me wonder what on Earth his problem was (not in those words when I was three). I remember thinking, "I'm a good girl. I'm a nice girl. I'm nice to animals. Why is he bothering me about this like I'm doing something wrong." A child as little as three can be capable of thinking, "They're my fingers. Its my mouth. I'm not hurting anyone." You are better off risking a slight pushing out of her teeth (which may or may not happen) than risking her feeling as if she's being harrassed over something she doesn't see as being such a bad thing). And - in the scheme of life and all the adults who do things they shouldn't do, like do rotten things to their children or smoke or drink too much or eat too much etc. - the reality is your little girl isn't doing anything too bad at all.
2016-03-27 06:20:26 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a comfort thing. You probably aren't going to get her to stop without creating more problems.
Try to keep her hands reasonably clean, especially before she goes down for a nap or whenever she sucks her fingers the most.
She will likely gradually out-grow the habit but if she sucks her fingers at school I would be willing to bet she won't be the only one who does.
2006-07-25 04:52:30 · answer #3 · answered by Puzzler 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your pediatrician will tell you that she will stop when she is ready. My little girl (2-1/2 yrs) sucks her thumb and has since before she was born (I have it on ultrasound video). Your pediatrician will tell you that it is nothing to worry about until her permanent teeth starting coming in. By then, she will old enough to understand to keep her hands out of her mouth. Until then, enjoy her being little, this time doesn't last long and you will never get another chance for her to be a baby.
2006-07-25 05:33:09 · answer #4 · answered by ponyblt 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell her the truth that every time she sucks her fingers she makes herself sick and all the other kids. or you can embellish the story of the bacterias and germs. Tell her that little invisible people live on her fingers and everytime she sucks her fingers she eats them.
2006-07-25 04:56:28 · answer #5 · answered by Dimples 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All 3 of my sons did this at about the same age.
What I did was put liquid dish detergent on their fingertips. just rub a tiny bit in like lotion. It will soak in pretty much.
They put their fingers in there mouths for about 3 seconds, and the taste quickly changes their minds. After a couple days of this, I never had to worry about it again with that kid.
I think I got the idea from someone I worked with at the time, who suggested Tobasco sauce... I just thought dish soap was a lot nicer to someone that age. And it worked fine for us.
Good luck to you :)
2006-07-25 04:50:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've heard of some non-toxic stuff you can spray on their fingers that has an unpleasant taste, I havn't tried to look for it yet though. My daughter is 4 and still sucks her fingers.
2006-07-25 04:50:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Show her a picture of someone with really really messed up teath and tell her it is because they sucked there thumb untill they were almost 4! she will not want ugly teath! the finger paint idea was a good one too!
2006-07-25 04:48:46 · answer #8 · answered by mattinfla 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I sucked my thumb constantly when I was a toddler. To stop it, my mom would put band aids on my thumb. I hated how they felt in my mouth, and soon I stopped, I wasn't a girl, so nail polish just didn't do it for me.
2006-07-25 04:48:18 · answer #9 · answered by Ian978 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there's some sort of nail polish you can get that tastes really bad, its made for people who bite their nails i belive, but it might work in your case. besides, the whole sucking fingers/thumb thing is horrible for the teeth, so i'm sure you'll want to get that under control.
2006-07-25 04:49:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋