Advice for Parents of Older Children Who Suck Their Thumb
Famous last words to parents of thumb sucking children. My daughter Amber didn't stop sucking her thumb until she was 8 years old. When she first began to suck her thumb as a baby, I thought nothing of it. However, as the years passed and she was still sucking her thumb I grew concerned. It was one thing to suck your thumb as a toddler, but she was turning 3 then 4 years old and still sucking her thumb non-stop.
Sucking her thumb was Amber's coping mechanism, her comfort zone, a habit she couldn't kick. She was addicted to her thumb worse than someone on cigarettes, and it caused almost as many health problems. The dentist said her thumb sucking was causing a gap between her two front teeth. Not to mention the germs she was getting from sucking a dirty thumb.
The dentist talked to Amber, and explained to her she needed to stop sucking her thumb. She nodded her head understanding, but the thumb went right into the mouth.
Suggestions that Didn't Work
When we were out in public gentle chiding becomes rude comments. "Get that thing out of your mouth. You're too big to suck your thumb." But nothing anyone said made any kind of difference to my daughter. And of course, people were full of suggestions.
"Did you try red pepper?" Yes, she rubbed it in her eyes.
"What about nail biter nail polish?" Yeah, every time I try to put it on her nails, it was a big ordeal. She whines and fights me. It takes more energy to put it on her, plus I have to remember every day to put the polish on, which she tries to wash off when I'm not looking.
I turned to the internet and came across a device that I thought would work. It was a plastic cone that fit over the thumb and was tied in place with a plastic strap. The website said kids liked the colorful plastic straps. So I bought it for $70, and hoped for the best.
When the package came in the mail, I showed it to Amber, now age 6 and explained what it was and how it was going to help her. We put it on her hand, and off she went to school. It seemed to work fine. It came with a package of 100 colored straps that you cut off to remove the cone when your child needed to take a bath. When you wanted to put it back on you simply put the cone back over the thumb and attached another plastic strap.
Things were going okay, but then I began to notice that the edge of the plastic cone was getting frayed. I soon found out the reason. Instead of sucking her thumb, Amber had begun to chew on the plastic cone fitting over her thumb!
What Finally Worked
Well, we made another trip to the dentist and I explained the situation to him. I told him simply talking to her and behavioral management was not going to be enough to help my daughter kick the habit, and begged him to do something.
This dentist showed me the answer to my prayers. He introduced me to a behavior modification device that would stop resistant thumb suckers from sucking their thumb. It was a piece of metal that looked similar to a retainer. It had a piece that stuck out right behind the two top front teeth so the child could not get the sucking action from their thumb. It was cemented into the top of the child's mouth and once it was in place, you couldn't even see it from the outside and could stay in the child's mouth from six months up to a year. But it was expensive, $750 and insurance did not cover it.
However, I was convinced this was the only way my daughter would get over her thumb sucking habit. So I hunted around until I found a dental clinic that did this procedure for only $250.
Amber was 8 years old when she had this device put in her mouth. Once it was in, she could not suck her thumb anymore. And since she was such a resistant thumb sucker, we kept the device in her mouth for an entire year for reinforcement.
When we did get it removed, she still did not suck her thumb, and her two front teeth are finally growing back together again. I am so glad she does not suck her thumb any more, and had I known then what I know now I would have given my daughter a pacifier when she was a baby.
Published by WorkingMom
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9 Comments
Post a CommentShari - while a paci may be more detrimental to dental issues - you can take a pacifier away. You can't take a child's thumb away.
Raising kids, what fun!
Also, Melanie, most current research confirms that childhood thumbsucking is a habit for most children, no more no less. If you search online for the International Association of Orofacial Myology, you can access some excellent individuals to help others on this board break the habit with positive techniques that don't cost an arm and a leg-or a thumb-no pun intended. These programs have been out there for 30 years, but are not well known. Many dentists and pediatricians refer for these positive programs, as well as speech therapists. Good luck to your bloggers.
Oh, and wanted to comment on the paci. Some current research shows the paci is even more detrimental to the dental issues children are prone to from sucking behaviors than the thumb.
Thumb sucking in older children is a huge warning sign of an emotionally distressed child. I would suggest a child physiologist pronto!
I can relate. I didn't grow out of this habit until I was about 10 or so!
Sophie
My 12 year old step-son sucks his thumb when he's sleepy, tired, stressed, or sad. Both of his parents have tried different measures (without scare or shame tactics) and have been totally unsuccesful. He also still has his 'blankie'.
He doesn't have buck teeth but it's obvious that it's caused problems with protrusion on the front teeth. The orthodontist won't put on braces until he stops this habit, but it looks like there's no end in sight at this point. Socially he seems well adjusted, partipates in sports, and does well at school. But he doesn't do 'sleepovers' because of his blankie and thumb, so it does cause social issues for him.
He also sleeps with his mother every night he's at her house. At our house, we have to stay up until he's asleep or he'll throw a fit. He also sleeps (very poorly) with a 100-watt light in his room. Once or twice a night he'll even wake us up to tell us he cannot sleep (he wants us to get up and sit with him till he's asleep again).
I think pictures are not going to do the trick. The only thing is to get that brace device like what I got. That's the only thing that worked.
My 23 year old daughter still sucks her thumb! She has been doing it since the age of 3 and is desperately trying to stop, could anyon ewho has children this age doing it send me some photos of them so my daughter can see what she looks like, thats probably the only way to make her quit!!! Thanks