How do I get my 9 yr old to stop sucking her thumb in her sleep?

Question

This is a relatively new problem. It just start about 2 nights ago. I go to wake her up and she has her thumb in her mouth and is sucking on it. My boyfriend and I are both concerned. She's not mine biologically. I say that to continue an explanation. It appears as a form of regression to me. The problem is, we don't know whats causing her to do this or why she would do it. Maybe some past psychological issue coming up now about her mother? How do I get her to stop sucking her thumb, she's 9, she doens't need to do that. Why would she be doing this all of a sudden?

I know this past week I haven't been around as much. School started for me at the end of August. I'm full time at school and work. I have classes 3 nights a week. This weekend I had to go out of town for a seminar. But she knew I was going and coming back. That's the only change I know of.

Answer 1

Fast Facts About Thumb Sucking

Children who suck their thumbs are able to begin at an early age to meet their own need for sucking. These children fall asleep more easily, are able to put themselves back to sleep at night more easily, and sleep through the night much earlier than infants who do not suck their thumbs.
A study by Dr. T. Berry Brazelton indicates that as many as 94% have finished with sucking their thumbs by their first birthdays.
According to the American Dental Association, thumb sucking does not cause permanent problems with the teeth or jaw line, unless it is continued beyond four to five years of age.
Many studies have looked at the number of children who continue to suck their thumbs at this time. As it turns out, somewhere between 85% to 99% of children have finished thumb sucking spontaneously before this period (the numbers vary depending on the study).
When investigators looked at this group of late thumb-suckers for common traits, they found that they had one thing in common that distinguished them from other children -- a prolonged history of a strong battle with thumb sucking at an earlier age. It is striking that many well-meaning parents have actually encouraged this behavior by trying to forcibly take the thumb out of their children's mouths.


Breaking the Thumb-Sucking Habit
Support, Guidance Key
"If a child who is older than 5 or 6 is still sucking his thumb and having difficulty stopping, parents ought to think about what they can do to help him," Hack says. Before insisting that a child go "cold turkey," it's important to observe how deeply entrenched your child's behavior is, she says. How often does your child suck and in front of whom? If it happens only at bedtime or in front of family members, it's a less serious problem than if it happens at school or in social situations.
Attempts to steer a child away from thumb-sucking can backfire if they are not tempered with support and guidance. Don't nag or reprimand your child, and don't pull a child's finger out of his mouth. These kinds of actions can result in a power struggle, experts say. "The truth is most kids over 6 really do want to stop, but they need some extra help," Goldstein says. more at: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=51874

Answer 2

i do no longer basically like the cleansing soap theory very plenty, yet I particularly have some form of sport which may make her give up. First take a brilliant cardboard and divide it into 21 squares, beautify it with any subject your daughter likes and determine you may carry it someplace you the two can see it (each and every sq. represents a million day). next, get 21 stickers and shop them with you. Following tell your daughter that each and every single day she does not suck her thumb you will fill a sq. with one decal. while each and every of the squares are crammed you will get her something she needs. (It must be some thing she somewhat somewhat needs). the main serious ingredient is that she must be very honest approximately her thumb sucking activity in the process the 21 days....you do no longer choose her to misinform you. by using ways, the 21 days could be as consecutive as attainable, yet while a sort of days she sucks her thumb, basically do no longer placed a decal that day and wait until finally the subsequent one. i wish this facilitates.

Answer 3

thumb is a comfort seeking solution. what may work is to make the thumb sucking stop is to some way make her thumb taste awful. I know there is a solution you can paint in fingernails to stop nail biting, maybe this will work, do not use hot peppers as this will burn her thumb. Also a gentle talk about what may be upsetting her is in order

Answer 4

She does this to comfort herself and since it is subconsciously done, the only solution is to find out what has made her uncomfortable. Trying to stop it by using other solutions may make her feel like it is wrong to self-comfort. I would let her suck her thumb at night while trying to figure out what it is that's bothering her.

Answer 5

It is a stress reliever for your girl. Once you spend time with her and make relationships more concrete, she will respond in kind. BUT be careful, she is about to enter puberty and that will complicate matters...

I will keep you in my prayers

Answer 6

Try putting socks over her hands at night

Answer 7

seriously?

chilli powder on her thumbs b4 she goes to sleep

Answer 8

just put something on her thumb

Answer 9

hot sauce worked on my cousin.

Answer 10

AMPUTATION.........God Bless You