my daughter in 3 she sucks her thumb only when she is tired or while she sleeps, how do i stop this?

Answer 1

She will grow out of it. It's just like having a pacifier, it's an act of security and comfort to her. My daughter is almost 4 and has her pacifier when she is tired or not feeling well. She spits it out when she goes to sleep. They all eventually grow out of it and it's not hurting anyone.

Answer 2

Well i have been sucking my thumb since i was two and i still do it at the age of 23. My mother tried everything. I had a thumbe stopper placed in my mouth by the dentist and i found a way to get around that. My mom would put tape all around my thumb and i will find a way to get it off to suck my thumb. My mom also tried to scare me by putting worms in the toilet after I threw up one time and said it was because i sucked my thumb. That didn't work. She got to the point where she would pop me in the mouth (I was around 12) everytime she saw me with it in my mouth and that made me suck my thumb less during the day but at night I had to suck my thumb in order to go to sleep. I am older now so I only suck my thumb at night. I have a hard time falling asleep if i dont' have it. But good luck with your daughter just wanted to share my story. And yes i am pretty ashamed that i still suck my thumb at 23. I plan to stop once I have children.

Answer 3

Don't put anything on her thumb! That is messed up!
I used to suck my thumb.
I think I must have just got over it and stopped.
Or now that I think about it...I remember transitioning from the thumb to just having my thumb right there like by my nose and lip. So it wasn't really in my mouth. Then I just stopped all together.
I think an stuff animal will really help too.

I must have been like 5 or 6 when I finally stopped.


Maybe you could make a big deal about germs and get her that way?

Answer 4

My mom tried everything to get me to stop. Gross tasting stuff, tape, bribery, threats of bad teeth in the future... Nothing worked.

I only did it when I was sleeping, too. I just stopped on my own around 12 or so. I don't remember why. It just happened.

BTW - I have perfectly straight teeth now that amaze dentists even though I was told I would need braces if I didn't stop. So don't worry about the potential physical damage.

Answer 5

Does it really matter that much? Let her suck her thumb. It's often a security thing to. How is sucking her thumb affecting you?

Answer 6

there is nothing wrong or unusual for a child to suck his/her thumb, i mean they do it in the mothers womb, she finds it comfortable when she is tired to do this so let her do it, it could be worse most kids play up and scream the house down when they are tired.

Answer 7

my daughter is 4 and still sucks her thumb when she is tired she used to suck it all the time but i kept going over to her and gently just pull it out of her mouth. if it bothers you that she sucks her thumb my mom told me when she was little my grandma put tobassco, vinager or lemon juice on her thumb so she wouldn't suck it but i think that is cruel just do what i did and tell her not to do it and gently pull her thumb out of her mouth or just wait it out bause she will grow out of it.

Answer 8

You can't stop it, my daughter did the same thing and there was no of stopping her it was her way of getting herself to sleep she will grow out of it, my daughter did.

Answer 9

My daughter started sucking her thumb 1 hour after she was born..... so for the sake of both of us :) I've looked up some articles for you and me to read!!
Hope this helps!

http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/wisdomtooth/thumb.htm

(I liked this one best)
http://www.drgreene.com/21_1206.html

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/toddler/toddlerbehavior/11574.html

Hope that helps!
Good luck!

Answer 10

Get her a teddy bear or something to hold onto....it's a comfort thing, so she should transition nicely to the stuffed animal. You don't want to have dental issues later!