How do we stop DD from chewing/sucking on Blankie?

CubbyMama

At K's first dentist visit, the dentist said we need to get her to stop chewing/sucking on her Blankie.  She does it in her sleep at night as well as while watching TV or relaxing during the day, and having a mouthful of wet blanket for 10+ hours a day is causing her sores in her mouth, along with possibly affecting the shape of her palate & her bite.

The daytime part we can handle--it's easy to "catch her in the act" and remind her--but at night, there's not much we can do unless we take Blankie away altogether (which we don't want to do).

Is there something you can recommend to help get her out of the habit of putting it in her mouth?

jettagurl

Can you "trade" the blankie for something else (new!) she would like and be excited about?  A doll or stuffed animal maybe? 

 

DevonPow

Oh no - DS hasn't been to the dentist yet, and I am terrified they will tell me I have to get DS to stop this. He sucks on his blanket lovey all nap and all night, plus during the day whenever he is upset. We had a battle just to get him to leave it in his room. He is SO attached, and I feel terrible for him because not only is it like a paci, but it is his security object, I can't just take it away

Hopefully someone will have a good idea.

CubbyMama

jettagurl:

Can you "trade" the blankie for something else (new!) she would like and be excited about?  A doll or stuffed animal maybe? 

Ehhhh....very doubtful!  I once said that Blankie was stinky (from being all wet and smelling like mildew) and she burst into tears--apparently I had insulted "her."  Even the IDEA of not sleeping with Blankie is horrifying to her--one night, she was getting out of bed constantly and kept waking me up for ridiculous reasons, and I lost my temper and told her, "If I have to come in here again, I will take Blankie with me!"  The look on her face was absolute terror at the thought, and I instantly felt awful for crossing the line and saying such a thing! 

I was really attached to my blanket as a kid, too, so I hate to take it away altogether if we can avoid it...

Yodajo

That's tough! 

What if you took it out of her mouth once she fell asleep and then tucked part of it under her mattress in a way that it couldn't reach all the way up to her mouth, but that she could still hold it?

BTW, we tried your mini muffin pan idea for lunch and it was a huge hit.  It is now officially known as a "Special Surprise Lunch" here.

REOM

Both my girls are VERY attached to their blankets! Sleepy Bear and Sleepy Elephant- they are sisters

DD#1 was doing that annoying sucking thing, and I told her that she was HURTING her Sleepy Bear! Well, she would never want to hurt Sleepy Bear, so she doesn't do it anymore.

Marchmamma

can you try offering gum during the day?  (the non professional OT in me suggestion)

At night time can you tell her that maybe one of her dolls/stuffed animals need that blankie in their mouths for comfort and tape it to their mouths?  Or say she is hurting the blankie by chewing and sucking on it?

hopefulmom

As for her sucking on her blanket (I am assuming it is the blanket binding)...she will stop on her own eventually.  My oldest DD was 8.  Take it away and she will find another.  Fortunatley, my DD would use ANY blanket binding (or maybe not even a binding)...lol  It is the oral fixation.  As for the dentists comments...dont' worry about them.  Most likely she'll need braces anyway for something so they will fix anything the blanket sucking causes.  My DD had braces for 2 years (normal time-frame I believe).

My oldest DS, on the other hand, sucked his first two fingers and even though he is in his twenties now...I think he still does in his sleep!  I haven't seen it...but then he doesn't spend every night here nor do I go in his room at night.  I think it is easier to give up the blanket then to give up fingers or thumbs.

I know exactly what you mean about the smelly blanket.  Like I mentioned earlier...she would use any blanket binding (so we had several blankets and it wasn't an issue when her favorite one was in the wash).