My daughter is 2 years old and from the time she was 2 minutes old she has been sucking her thumb. I had the same problem and i didn't stop sucking mine until i was in middle school. I don't want her to have the same dental problems that I did. My parents tried so many things with me, such as tabacco sause, soap on the thumb, and i would just suck it off, and I don't want to put my kid through that, LOL, any sugeestions would be greatly appricatied.
2006-09-16 22:25:44 · 23 answers · asked by suelynn_99_99 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Leave her alone. Avoid the topic completely, never mention it, pretend not to notice.
It sounds like your parents turned it into a battle and children don't react to power struggles like that positively. If you just treat it like a natutal part of childhood, she will grow out of it.
Besides, you and your daughter may be alike, but you are not the same people. Give her the chance to find her own way in life around this issue that brings her so much comfort.
2006-09-16 22:55:15 · answer #1 · answered by baggyk 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am going to tell you that my niece is 11, and still sucks her thumb at home. My sister-in-law has done all of these things about stuff you put on them, please don't use chemicals (like the polish remover). She saw a therapist, who said she is comforting herself, and she will have to learn another coping mechanism. Everyone has done everything, including the mouthplate that 'bites it'--and she still continues. She honestly does not have dental problems...but I know what you mean. I have seen grown women in the store, sucking their thumbs. I don't think there is a cure. If your daughter has always been a thumb-sucker, it works for her. Most kids do it until they're potty trained. I wish I could help you, but I'm afraid it's a watch and wait issue.
2006-09-17 10:26:47 · answer #2 · answered by steelypen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
At 2years old it will be too early for a conversation about it (maybe 4 or 5). Eliminate telivision and do puzzles and crafts instead to keep the hands busy. Stress is one reason the child is doing this so find stress free times and show them the mirror of how good they look when not sucking. positive positive positive is your mantra. Children rarely respond positively when being scolded or embarresed to stop these habits and they bring some of this stress to thier adult life. There are worse things than sucking your thumb at 2 years old.
2006-09-16 22:38:17 · answer #3 · answered by laxthefacts 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
According to phychologist Erik Erikson, when a child at "oral stage" doesn't have enough oral pleasure (experiencing/tasting things-a stage where they always "taste" or "feel" with their mouth whatever they can get a hold of, they tend to be thumbsuckers/smokers/binge eaters.
I don't know how true this is, but I was a thumbsucker till I was 6 and I remember I just dropped that habit on my own. Oh, all I do remember is that my sister kept telling me my fingers are swelling up coz I suck them and I got worried.
2006-09-16 23:46:35 · answer #4 · answered by FallGirl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In fact, this is not a HABBIT merely. It has reasons behind it. This is a reaction if you can understand. The baby seems unsatisfied and she has devised an alternative (this is complex to understand). Doctors say the babies feeling lack of attention from their moms develop this habbit, as a reaction and as a tool of self-soothing. And once the habbit is developed then it becomes really a HABBIT.
Try the following:
Feed her from your breasts, in all cases.
After each fee, feed her some drops of plain water
Let her sleep with you at night.
Soothe her at her sleeping times (in day or at night) with your nipple in her mouth. When she is slept, you can take it out of her mouth gently.
Attend to her immeidately when she is awake
Avoid using pampers. Use a soft cloth and wash her (with water, not with a tissue paper) after every pee and **** and change her nappy at once.
When you note her sucking her thumb, pull it out gently and divert her attention to anything else, and give her any good suckable thing. Better talk to her and make her "talk" to you.
Give her colorful things to play with.
You will note improvement soon
OK?
2006-09-16 22:54:50 · answer #5 · answered by Asra Mahnoor 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Children respond well to consistent praise for doing good. Everytime you catch her without her thumb in her mouth, reward her with lots of praise, and maybe play a favourite game or give her a treat...anything to make her see that good things happen when she isn't sucking!
2006-09-16 23:08:07 · answer #6 · answered by miss_ruby_topaz 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
give her rewrds for doing things and scare her that the fingure will dissappear... bandage her thumb in the night after she sleeps so she wont be able to suck on it... and ya.. try these meddicines hey really work.. i dont remember what the medicine was called but it is really bitter and the taste does not go even on washing ten times it fades of on its own.. its absolutely safe my mom would put it for me.. its called stopjickt or something... best of luck..
2006-09-17 04:44:39 · answer #7 · answered by wacko 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why would you want to stop her from sucking her thumb? It's only considered a problem if YOU think it is.
2006-09-16 23:23:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would just let her suck away. It is very comforting to them. That's why they do that. I used to suck my thumb 'til I was five. I just stopped on my own. My teeth have always looked great. I don't have an overbight or anything. That is an old wive's tale.
2006-09-16 22:43:19 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is a product you can have ordered from wal*mart pharmacy called "Thumb" it helps to thumb sucking and is safe for youngsters.
2006-09-16 22:28:22 · answer #10 · answered by zekemilli4 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋