2006-09-09 22:14:58 · 40 answers · asked by kenneth o 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Parenting
its a phase and theres not much you can do about it. My aunt tried everything from nail polish, to tobasco sauce. Nothing works
2006-09-09 22:16:24 · answer #1 · answered by Mariah&Lydias_Mom 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Hiya, I think its worse for a young child to suck their thumb rather than have a dummy, at the end of the day you can always take a dummy away but you cant take their thumb away. My friend used to suck her thumb right up until she was about 17 and it deformed the shape of her teeth and mouth, she has protruding upper teeth and cant bite her teeth together properly.
I'm not trying to scare you by the way! sorry.
You could try a dummy, an orthodonic type which are better for the teeth, but as long as your daughter is happy at home and secure and all that, she will probably grow out of sucking her thumb.
You could try giving her something else to comfort her like a teddy or blanket (if she hasn't already got one).
Good luck
2006-09-09 22:56:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
please don't give her a dummy, they are horrid and a hard habit to break so you could well end up with a 3/4 year old refusing to give up her dummy. She will probably stop sucking her thumb on her own, if she doesn't she would go back to it after having the dummy. I have been told by my mum that she tried putting horrid tasting things like mustard on my thumbs to stop me but then I was 10 at the time! (I also had a dummy when I was younger) I did grow out of it eventually!
2006-09-09 22:42:19 · answer #3 · answered by edwardgrove 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be honest I wouldn't even try to introduce another thing. I gave my son a dummy and took it off him when he was one and a half. He has a slight lisp now because of it. Sucking their thumb can mould their mouth in an arch shape if they do it for long enough.
I know Dr's say it is better for kids to have a dummy rather than their thumb as you can take the dummy off them. But I would be worried that your daughter may go back to her thumb once you take the dummy away as she is used to doing this.
You could try it if you want but if I was you I would get advice from her Dr or Health Visitor before you do it, maybe they will have other advice to stopping her sucking her thumb.
Good luck.
2006-09-09 22:20:19 · answer #4 · answered by koolkatt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normally I wouldn't recommend a dummy as you want them off that as soon as possible but it is easier to wean them off the dummy than it is a thumb, I sucked my thumb till my teens and as a result had to wear a brace because I had pushed my teeth forward. If you are successful with the dummy make sure she never goes to sleep with it in her mouth, and never put her to bed with one, the rest will get easier as you slowly decrease the amount of time she can have it. Do not use it as a tool to keep her quiet, you control the usage, as much as it always looks like the better option to let her just have it, this can have a knock on effect for other problems of comforters and even later bullying.
2006-09-11 00:45:15 · answer #5 · answered by derewyn c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing, my daughter sucked her thumb till she started school. Within a week she had stopped, not sure if something was said by another child but it did the trick. So I think you should not make a fuss just try to ignore it for now, and giving her a dummy is just replacing one habit with another.
2006-09-11 03:59:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my 4 yr old daughter still sucks her thumb, i even tried the no nail biting stuff, but she actually liked it. Now i just leave her to it. I Find the more i tell her not to do it, the more she does it. Im just hoping she will grow out of it. IMO though it looks better for a kid her age to suck a thumb than a dummy.
2006-09-11 02:25:45 · answer #7 · answered by cowgirl22 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why do you want to stop her sucking her thumb? Yes it is to late to give her a dummy. My 20 mth old daughter sucks her thumb still I don't have an issue with it as she does it only for comfort like when she is going to sleep or she is upset.
IMHO I think a toddler sucking a thumb looks better then a toddler with a dummy.
2006-09-09 22:19:58 · answer #8 · answered by ***Missy*** 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Thumb sucking is a comfort habit, and probably it will continue if you did'nt do anything about it. By this age, your daughter's habit is very common specially to some toddlers.
You could use a reward system, perhaps with points or a sticker/star chart, if this will motivate her,
Long-term thumb-sucking can push forward the front teeth and may require long-term orthodontic treatment to correct.
Encourage her to find some other comfort habits in the short term, such as diversional activities/offering her favorite food/stroking a soft toy when she's tempted to suck. Hope this helps and good luck.
2006-09-10 06:51:25 · answer #9 · answered by jaya 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my daughters 9 years old and still sucks her thumb ime always telling her your daughters only 16 months shes got time to grow out of it also if shes never had a dummy i wouldnt give her one now it will behard to get her off it again and its not good for the teeth after many years of having a dummy good luck
2006-09-10 02:26:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We had this problem with our daughter In the great theme of things it is not important and more acceptable than a dummy but if it worries you we found a little mustard spread on her thumb worked .This was 40 years ago and would probably be frowned on now Delboy
2006-09-09 22:27:56 · answer #11 · answered by delboy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋