How to help her stop sucking her thumb?

Question

She's almost five and need to stop sucking her thumb (according to the dentist!) how can I help her????

Answer 1

Sorry, but you can't. You see, when a child is that age it's WAAAY too late! I've been doing it non-stop all my life, even in the womb, for 23 years! I stroke this 10.5" by 12" feather baby pillow which got taken away for a month when I was 13 (causing me to never stop FOR SURE due to rebellion)! That was the worst age to try to make me stop, so you'd better leave her alone about it or else she'll hate you cuz now she's got a memory. The time to stop her was between 6 mos. and 2 yrs. cuz my sister was a Nuk baby & thus gave it up by age 3 due to the impracticality of sucking it longer.

Answer 2

I told my daughter about what it would be like when her teeth would be messed up and how kids will pick on her. Maybe that is a little much, but my daughter is 6 yrs old and she was doing it. I did try the thumb sucking stuff that you put on the nails.You can find it at Target or Wal-Mart it is only a dollar or two. That didn't work for her she sucked it off. But when I told her how she was going to get picked on and stuff something must have clicked. She made her self stop. I reminded her at first of what I said then I left it up to her. She hasn't done it in over four months now not even at night. I'm so proud of her. I know this probably isn't what you was looking for but every parent has to find their own way to do things and this was mine.

Answer 3

i did the same exact thing as a child until i was about age 6. and then i just sort of grew out of it. the dentist told my mother the same thing, and it really wasnt true, because i sucked my thumb religiously every night (not during the day of course, it was just for comforting reasons at night while i slept) anyways, i did not have any complications with my teeth like the dentist said i would.
i did have a small knot on my thumb though from my teeth rubbing against it as i would suck all night, and so my mother told me that the doctor would have to do surgery and cut my finger off if i didnt stop sucking it.....it didnt make me stop sucking it, even though it scared me....it made me think more about doing it, but as a habit i still did it without thinking at night, up until i started pre school i guess and got my mind on bigger things and out grew it. my grandma also tried putting hot sauce on it, and i would suck the hot sauce right off and then keep sucking, so that didnt help. its a bad habit that just has to kind of go away on its own, your child will eventually grow out of it. but i woudlnt worry about the dental affects....its an exageration of the fact.
good luck.

Answer 4

I hate to say this but i was ten before i stopped sucking my thumb my mum put anything and everything on it and i just sucked it off then she finally stopped worrying about it and i just stopped so you might find the more you try and stop it the more she will do it.You might find when she starts school it will stop when she sees that most other kids don't do it to (my teeth turned out fine) I say let her stop it in her own time.

Answer 5

it is true she needs to stop, my daughter is 6 and still does it occasionally it can be a nervous thing or emotional thing , try making a big deal out of a new bangle and tell her her teeth will be crooked if she keeps doing it, when she feels she wants to suck her thumb play with the bangle instead,one with velvet on it ,u could make it yourself out of velvet ribbon, something shes going to WANT to touch. or alternatively theres a product you can buy from the chemist for around $5 that is non toxic and tastes terrible called no suck or something like that but once she knows how bad it tastes its pretty tramatic to get it on those thumb nails!! believe me. my daughter was a really bad sucker but has gatten much better with time she may just grow out of it hopefully b4 to much damage id done to the alignment of her teeth good luck

Answer 6

You can take socks, covering her hands, and attach them to her pajamas at night, this should help, and also slightly annoy her to the point where she will not want to be (bound) so to speak, and want her freedom with her hands again. We called them Sucky Socks.
At the same time, you should keep encouraging her to stop sucking her thumb, I tried the hot sauce thing, and he got used to the taste. The Sucky Socks did work for a while.

Answer 7

go to ur local Wal-Mart in the toothpaste aisle there is a liquid that u can put on her thumbs that taste really bad. its not harmful but it works great. (its called something like ipecac) it says it for breaking thumb sucking and used for nail biting. hope it helps

Answer 8

My daughter sucked her thumb until she was 5 or 6. Unless she's sucking it in a way that it's pushing her front teeth forward it won't hurt her. My daughter's teeth were never affected..she'll quit when she's ready..deal with it then.

Answer 9

I was nine when I stopped sucking my fingers. It started out as a deal with my grandparents who gave up smoking. Ultimately, unless there is a vice that you have that she doesn't like that you are willing to give up as a deal, she will quit when she's good and ready.
(as a response to "binkyland" I think that was from nanny 911)

Answer 10

I think there is a special nail polish that you can paint on her finger nails that tastes awful and stops thumb sucking and nail biting. Id ask about it at your local pharmacy.