What is the best option to help my child break the thumb-sucking habit?

You may have heard the phrase, "Better a binky than a pinky." A pacifier can be discarded after the first few months, a finger can't! In this third and final edition, we will talk about what we’ve learned about options to help stop thumbsucking. There are various things you can do to help your child stop finger sucking. Focusing on the positives and rewarding your child are important.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics –

“Severe emotional upsets or stress-related problems might cause your child to suck his thumb or use a pacifier for a long time. It is also possible that your child may be one of the very few who cannot seem to stop. However, most children stop daytime thumb sucking habits before they get very far in school because of peer pressure. These same children might still use thumb sucking as a way of going to sleep or calming themselves when they are upset. This is usually done in private and causes no harm either emotionally or physically. Putting too much pressure on your child to stop sucking their thumb may cause more harm than good. Even these children eventually stop the habit on their own.”

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

To end thumb sucking you must first realize that it is not just a physical but also an emotional behavior. With that said it’s very important that you address the psychological and emotional ties to thumb-sucking. With all treatments, a child should be offered strong emotional support.

Let it go – Nagging or punishing your child won't help, because they don’t usually realize when they’re sucking away. Besides, pressuring them to stop may intensify their desire to continue thumb sucking.

Reward your child and offer encouragement – A simple hug and praise can go a long way in helping to reinforce their decision to stop thumb sucking. Younger children need more frequent rewards. A five to six year old may need a reward after the first night. You can gradually stretch out the reward period from one night, to a week, and then to 30 days without thumb sucking.

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My Special Shirt - Help your child to stop finger sucking.