how do i stop my 3 year old dauguther from sucking her thumb?

Question

she only sucks it when watching tv or sleeping but shes getting to old for that i have told her if she keeps doing it that her thumb will fall off but its not working

Answer 1

My 3 year old sucks her thumb too. I took her to a pediatric dentist at 2 3/4 and he said not to worry about it right now. Once she starts losing her baby teeth it becomes an issue because it can affect how her permanent teeth come in and whether or not she'll need braces. I'd leave her alone for now and wait until she's 5 before you start working on getting her to quit.

Answer 2

According to the American Dental Association, your child can safely suck a thumb or pacifier until age 4 or 5 without damaging his teeth or jawline.

You want to create an environment where she chooses to stop on her own. You can weaken the thumb-sucking habit by distracting her when you notice her thumb in her mouth. Engage her in a way that she uses both hands.

Painting something that tastes yucky on the thumbs can make sucking them less satisfying. Commercial products are available for this purpose. Other parents have had success with pickle juice or a drop of vinegar. You might have to switch flavors periodically because people can develop a taste for almost anything.

One way or another, soon her cuddly habit of thumb sucking will be a flickering memory of those precious days when she was so young.

Answer 3

My five year old still sucks her thumb. Her dentist said it's not a big deal until her permanent teeth come in.

If it's really bad, they can put in an appliance. He said I can try whatever I feel I need to do, but unless she wants to stop, nothing will help.

Answer 4

i am kinda ashamed of this but i am 18 n still suck my thumb when i was smaller my nanny and family took my ta ta and threw it out the window and once i got started on my thumb i can't stop but don't fret go to a professional and see if they can help my dentist used to tell me if i get the urge to suck my thumb to sit on my hands me and my mom used to play a game of it and it really worked i thought it was funny too and i was about 5 so keep that in mind

Answer 5

We have tried everything and my 7 year old still sucks her thumb its a hard habit to break.. I just keep hoping she will see that she needs to stop..

Answer 6

my mom used to put this clear horrible nail polish (non-toxic of course) on my thumb so every time I went to suck my thumb I got that nasty taste.... a couple decades later and still no thumb sucking:-)

Answer 7

My mom tried everything with my brother from lemon juice on his thumb, to the nail polish you can buy to put on it to diter them nothing worked.. he is now 32 and still does in his own privacy. Try the link below.. good luck!

Answer 8

Try vinegar, tabasco sauce ( just a little though) or anything that doesnt taste good.

Answer 9

put something that tastes bad on it.. thats what i read to stop biting your nails.. .. it is kinda the same thing.. try a parenting website

Answer 10

my daughter sucked 2 of her fingers. it got bad. her fingers were constantly in her mouth. we put tobasco on her fingers and it stopped almost immediately. good luck!