My 13 month old daughter has severely dry skin on her fingers?

Question

She sucks her two middle fingers and with the temperature drop recently her skin has become severely dry and cracked on those two fingers. I asked her doc today what I could do for it and the only thing he said was to put gloves on her hand to prevent her from sucking her fingers. Hello??? Does he actually think that a 13 month old will actually keep gloves on her hands? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Please don't respond with the same suggestion as the doctor as I think it's about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. My only thought is to put some neosporin on it with a band aid while she's awake. I know when she lays down to sleep she will try to suck her fingers and I certainly don't want her to choke on a band aid.

sozo...great idea, thanks so much. I never thought of the lanolin and it makes perfect sense.
Also, Finally Mrs. B, great idea as well!! I will try them both.
As for Mallory...you obviously have no children. Who would suggest putting NAIL POLISH on a baby's fingers that she sucks on then coating it with pepper??? Yeah, that will obviously help heal her cracked skin.

Answer 1

My daughter also sucks her two fingers and they get chapped and dry. Putting gloves is a retarded idea...it's her soothing technique, she would never fall asleep and just scream, ugh, I can't believe he told you that. Anyway, I would get some lanolin cream, it worked for me. It's that cream that you put on your chapped nipples when you are breastfeeding. It's very potent, and only a small amount will do wonders, and it's ok for it to go in her mouth (if it's the kind for the breasts, it's made that way so the child can still nurse with it on).

Answer 2

My toddler sucks her thumb and has the same problem in cool weather. Last year, it got so bad it cracked a bit. I felt so bad for the poor thing! Then we discovered Burt's Bees. It's all natural personal care products, so if she puts her thumb in her mouth 20 minutes after I put it on her, I don't worry to much. I'll post the link below of the cream we use. It's super-thick, and a great moisturizer. She won't become bucktoothed from sucking her fingers. That's only a concern once the adult teeth start coming in. I have had some people try to pressure me to get her to stop sucking her thumb, but it's a self-soother. I really wouldn't worry about it just yet.

Baby Bee Skin Creme
Soothe and protect all over.
How it Works

This cream gives soothing relief to your baby's diaper area or anywhere skin needs extra attention. Made with aloe vera to help soothe and heal, it is also rich with beeswax and sweet almond oil to help prevent redness and chafing. Grapefruit seed extract, which is known to have anti-bacterial qualities, adds extra protection.
How to Use It

Rub cream liberally on your baby's diapered area or on skin all over.
Aloe Vera
Featured Ingredient

Aloe Vera — The pulpy, expressed juice of the aloe vera plant, this substance is famous for its moisturizing and soothing properties, as well as for its ability to aid in healing.


It is a little expensive ($11 for a 2 oz. container) but a little bit goes a looong way. I got mine last winter and still have some left.

Answer 3

Id do a neutrogena hand cream during the day, then for sleeping you could try onion or garlic on those fingers. When I cook with garlic, my hands smell disgusting. And you wouldnt want to use sanitizer gel or anything. Although Id check on the properties of garlic, like when you get citrus on a cut it might burn, maybe post this in alternative medicine. Also think about trying a nook.

Oh yeah, that pure lanolin is awesome. I still use that on hangnails.

Answer 4

Using a small amount of vaseline to provide a moisture barrier to her fingers might help. Also, have you tried anything diversional during the healing phase? My nephew had the same problem with his thumb. My sister gave him a teether and his favorite bear to keep his hands busy. Didn't work 100% of the time, but at least it helped enough so that the skin healed.

Answer 5

my son sucks his thumb and as much as it look like it hurts, he don't let me put anything on it. If it hurts her enough she will suck on them less. The gloves thing is a dumb idea even though it is possible to teach her to keep them on, will have to in the cold winter right?
Also try lanolin, the nipple cream for cracked nipples, sounds gross but its one of the only cream thats safe to swallow!

Answer 6

I agree with the lanolin. You can't put anything on her fingers that isn't safe for her to eat, so any kind of skin lotion is out. Lanolin works great for chapped nipples - I don't see why it wouldn't help with her fingers, and its completely safe to eat.

Answer 7

Visit a dentist they have a thing that put right behind her teeth that reminds, and prevents her from sucking her fingers. It's not painfull, but if she continues to suck her fingers it causes kids to become "buck toothed"

Answer 8

I would put some lip balm, not the good tasting kind the other. It might help her stop sucking her fingers.

Answer 9

put a coat of nail polish on her fingers and sprinkle in with something bad tasting like sour candy powder or pepper and when it dries she won't like the taste!