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thumb sucking

junebug555junebug555 member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+

As a thumb-sucker myself with lots of dental work, I was wondering when I should try to work on my LO's bad habit with sucking her thumb.  Has anyone else started anything or is it too early? 

I was just curious on what your thoughts/experiences are. Thanks

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Re: thumb sucking

  • JenniCollinsJenniCollins member

    I've got a thumb sucker also.  The dentist said that he could already see the effects (bottom teeth slightly pushed in and the top teeth slightly pushed out) but that those would self correct so long as she stopped by 5. 

    We have been trying to engage her hands when we see her sucking her thumb.  The only time we don't is right before nap or bed.  Yesterday she tried to talk around her thumb for the first time, I told her to take her thumb out of her mouth first.  

    My husband wants to put that nasty tasting stuff on her hands, but I don't want to resort to that yet.

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  • TwirpleTwirple member
    I sucked my fingers until age 3.  I really wanted a watch like a grownup.  My mom wouldn't get one for me until I stopped sucking my fingers.  I stopped, she got me the watch.  As soon as it was on my wrist, I started sucking my fingers again.  Of course, my Mom took my watch away.  I stopped sucking my fingers, got the watch back and that was the end of that!
    Chase was born 4/23/2011
    Carlene was born 4/18/2014                          A14 siggy challenge:  Junk Food
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  • tracy41tracy41 member
    I've also got a thumb sucker. Like PP mentioned he has the slightly protruding top teeth and curled upper lip but his dentist said not to worry as long as he stops by around four. Especially since it's now primarily a just before nap and bed time thing. I know some parents are violently opposed to it but I was a thumb sucker and have perfect teeth. If he hasn't stopped in the next year or so I will start trying to wean him away from it.
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  • rnbeth477rnbeth477 member

    I also have a thumb sucker.  I'm not really worried about it right now.  The dentist did recommend trying to get him to stop at our first appointment by age two, but we're beyond and I don't see him stopping any time soon.

    I sucked my thumb until 4 or 5.  My teeth are perfect.  I've never needed braces.

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  • AmericanInOzAmericanInOz member

    I heard from a dentist recently that you should wait until they can fully understand WHY they should stop - like 5/6 years old

    if you try to force them to stop when they are younger, they will likely just continue to do it in secret - and that's a bad habit to start and very hard to break if you don't know it's going on

    I just encourage dd not to suck her thumb, and at this point I'm saying it's 'only for bedtime' to try to get her to fully stop during the day and that big girls don't suck their thumbs - it works sometimes, but she's not even 3 yet and doesn't seem to care when I tell her to stop sometimes, because it's a real comfort to her

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