anyone got any good, useful ideas on how i can get my 5yr old to stop sucking her thumb?

Question

am trying the syop n grow during the day, but night time is unbearable for her.

Answer 1

Same question asked not long ago. Here is the answer I put together:

. If you explain to a child who is as old as five that he's now kind of old to be sucking his thumb in public (because people who aren't babies just don't do that in public) tell him 1) it is important he not do it in school at all or the other kids will start to tease him, 2) he should try to not do it until bedtime, but if that's not possible then at least keep it inside the house. Other than that, if he sucks his thumb til he's 40 it doesn't really matter. The thing about teeth is kind of overblown. My kids have beautiful teeth, and they all sucked their thumbs for a time (some longer than others). Just a note: I was an "offender" as a child. I have a "thing" about people trying too hard to stop a child from sucking his own thumb because as a child my reasoning was this: "It is my thumb. I am a good girl and a nice girl. Why are they acting as if I'm doing something so horrible? Why don't they leave me alone? Why do they keep acting like there's something wrong with me just because of this?" I'd be watching tv, sucking the thumb, and trying to hide what I was doing because every time my father saw me doing it he's say "Thumb". I didn't think it was his business. I thought he was stupid for making a big deal out of nothing. I resented that I had been "driven underground" because I just couldn't relax and watch tv and not worry about who was coming. In spite of all my father's efforts (if my mother cared about it she never said said much), I stopped somewhere along the way just because I must have grown out of the phase. I hoped everyone was happy that I was finally now "perfect" because for all the time I'd been sucking the thumb I was made to feel guilty about it and made me feel like I was doing something that was a Big, Giant, Problem. If you got the statistics on the numbers of children who suck their thumbs for a period of time you would see how common it is and what a big deal it isn't. It is their thumb. Leave them alone. I can tell you if you start putting pepper on it and harrassing them about it they are going to think you are butting in to what isn't your business, and they are going to remember you're poor handling of the issue for the rest of time!!! (Just a note: My teeth are fine. My thumb grew as big as the other one did. ) As a former "offender" and the parent of more than one former "offender", my kids and I all wonder, "What the hell is the big deal?!!" Finally, one question to all you "tobasco thinkers": Do you ever overeat? Overdrink? Smoke? Lose your temper? Let your house get messier than it should get? Procrastinate? Etc. Why don't work on your own bugaboos and leave your child alone. It is his thumb, and children know quite young what is theirs and not yours. If you didn't suck your thumb when you were a kid, well, bully for you..... but that's why you just don't get it...

Answer 2

I sucked my thumb until I was 12, and I can't quite remember why I was made to stop! But what worked for me was being given £1 in pennies, and every time I was spotted with my thumb in my mouth, I lost 1p. The first day I lost all my money, and the next day I got 98p! I guess your 5 year old might be a little bit too small for a monetary incentive, but maybe something along those lines. Maybe a sticker chart working towards a special treat at the end of a week for not sucking her thumb. Most kids do grow out of it eventually, I know I took a long time, but my thumb sucking started in the womb, and the only evidence is that my left thumb is about 1cm shorter than the right. I didn't develope buck teeth or a narrowed palate which are sometimes associated with thumb sucking.
If it really is a big problem for you both, you can ask your dentist to design and make an appliance to wear at night which makes it uncomfortable if not impossible to suck her thumb. though this could be quite upsetting for her.maybe by paying less attention to it, she may lose interest.

Good luck.

Answer 3

My 4 year old grand daughter sucks a dummy and she knows she is only allowed it at night for bed. My daughter sucked her thumb when she was born ans did it for some years, and she is now trying to force her daughter to give up her dummy at night. I told her this is wrong, it's so stressful for the child, I reminded my daughter that I didn't try and force her to give it up so why should she force her daughter to. I think children can be coaxed but not bullied into giving it up after all it's their comfort. Are there no child behaviour experts out there? (I mean professional ones) that can answer this one, as I'm sure there are many moms wanting advice. Good luck. A happy child is better than a miserable one, so chill out at night...

Answer 4

that's a tough question. I sucked my thumb until eventually i grow to be 9!! My 8 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous daughter used a pacifier until eventually she grow to be 2 and that i weaned her from it, it grow to be elementary however by way of fact sucking wasn't a huge convenience approach for her. Now my 4 month previous son makes use of a pacifier and sucks his thumb whilst one isn't available. whilst they are toddlers is it a convenience, soothing component to do. whilst a sprint one is drained and you placed pacifier in there mouth they fall enormously much immediately asleep. Sucking is a organic reaction reflex for toddlers. At 5 it relatively isn't any longer a reflex, yet a habit. Granted, it nevertheless might loosen up her and be comforting. of direction you go with your infant to be comforted so in case your worrying approximately her enamel, perhaps attempt to grant her some thing else to replace her thumb, a t-blouse of yours that has your fragrance, or a delicate filled animal might artwork. My mom made me placed that terrible tasting nail biting stuff on my thumb and that i do no longer think of it incredibly is a competent theory. do no longer complication. at last she would be waiting to provide up. how many 15 3 hundred and sixty 5 days olds which you comprehend suck there thumb nevertheless?

Answer 5

Using gloves sounds like a good idea, you could even try telling her that she is a big girl and big girls dont suck their thumbs and if she knows that you are not going to give it and that you dont like her doing it she might stop other wise I would try something with the dentist. I dont think you putting things on her fingers is a good idea because then she might even feel more unsafe because if she is using the thumb as a safety tool and you harm her with it ( by her not being able to suck it because it taste nasty) it might make it worse for her. I also would try talking to her and letting her know that its not good for her and her teeth and find her something else that she can be safe with.. Good luck. Courtney

Answer 6

Forget about spicy things like pepper on her finger.
The reason of doing such things is calming.I mean she wants to make herself calm.Perhaps she is under stress.
Most children are like your daughter.Mine used to have a pacifier till she was 5 and kept her milk bottle till she was 6 (only at nights).She also had a blanket that without it she could not sleep. Now she is O.K.
She is 8 and sleeps with her doll at nights.
If you can replace something like a teddy bear instead of thumb,she will be O.K.
I think ,first you can ask her to say lalaby for the doll,then they will make friends and she will enjoy sleeping with the doll.
Please,understand her.

Answer 7

OMGosh my daughter sucked her thumb for a long time, I think maybe about 9 years old, I tried it all. It was very frustrating. You can't stop them in the middle of the night, that's when it is worst. An orthodontist can put a device in the roof of their mouth if it bothers you alot.

Answer 8

Something harsh tasting on the thumb before she goes to sleep.

Like chille sauce. My mom used some medicated stuff that had a strong taste for my sister, don't know what it was, but I'm sure anything that tastes bad will do the trick.

Answer 9

My 4 year still sucks her thumb. Our dentist offered to fit her with a mouthguard to stop it. I am using the bitter naipolish from Sally Hansen during the day, so far that seems to be working.

Answer 10

OK difficult one

Some suggestions:

1. Tie a hanky over her thumb at night
2. Start putting some salt on his thumb
3. Try to give a pacifier. Its easy to get rid of pacifier as against thumb.

Sincere wishes that you are able to achieve what you want. It is immaterial whose trick works out at the end !