6 ways to stop your child's thumb-sucking habit

Most parents are unhappy to see their kid walking around with her thumb stuck in her mouth because it makes her look immature. Health and hygiene are issues, too.

For example, constant thumb-sucking can break the skin, or make it very red and sore.

Dentists also warn that constant thumb-suckling beyond the age of three or four years could potentially push the child’s front teeth out of shape. So you have good reasons to discourage the habit. Here are six ways to help your kid break the habit. 

Avoid battles

The more her comfort habit gains in importance for you and for her, the more she will hold on to it. Try not to become openly annoyed with her.

Avoid punishment

Threats of punishment will probably make her feel more anxious. This could in turn increase her desire to suck her thumb. Don’t be tempted to paint her thumb with one of those commercial, foul-tasting but harmless liquids either. She’ll just get used to the taste or simply suck a different finger instead.

Expect resistance

She can’t fully explain why she likes to suck her thumb. But she enjoys it, so she won’t see any reason to change quickly. 

Be gentle

Don’t expect immediate and complete withdrawal – she can’t break her habit that quickly. Suggest that she tries to avoid thumb-sucking for one specific period to start with. For instance, while you are reading a story book to her. 

Move slowly forward

Once she has achieved one of those early targets, gradually extend that to other parts of the day. Go slow and steady so that she doesn’t feel rushed.

Praise the positives

She needs to feel that change brings benefit, so tell her how happy you are. Point out that she looks like a big girl now, and give her a special treat because she has tried so hard.

This article was first published in Young Parents.