former thumb suckers-Malava?

cmrand4

Anybody have success with getting their kiddo to stop sucking their thumb?  DS1 had a dentist appt today and the dr is really on me to get him to stop.  He strongly recommended Malava but when I looked at the review online, parents felt that the taste was so harsh that it was cruel to use it. I trust my kids' dentist but I'm really hesitating on this. Thoughts?

bethann3181

We actually just bought Malava for our 3.5 DS, and I tried it on my fingers before applying it to his.  The taste is bitter, but absolutely not "cruel".  As a matter of fact, when we applied it to DS's fingers (he's a nail biter), it didn't even phase him!  He kept chomping away, and didn't even bat an eyelash or acknowledge anything was different.  We have to keep trying  

ILoveBoys

DS1 WAS a thumb sucker, until he was 5. Our dentist said not to worry about it until they start losing teeth, and getting their permanents. We put long tube socks (kid sized) over his hands, wrapped tape around the wrists (not tight! but tight enough he couldn't pull the socks off), and explained to him that he was a big boy and big boys don't suck their thumbs, and it's not good for his big teeth that are going to come in soon.

He wore socks full time for about 6 months before we took them off to try. He went from having callouses on both thumbs, to 6 months later having only 1 thumb with a callous. So the sock went back on one hand. By this point he would put it on himself and leave it on. After 2-3 more months, we took the sock off and he hasn't worn them since. So it took about a year. (He was mainly a sleepy thumb sucker so when he was tired, or at nap/bedtime.) 

Feel free to PM me, sorry that was so long!