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Toddlers: 24 Months+
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Twirling hair and sucking on fingers

ashiscuteashiscute member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+
Hi I'm usually a lurker but we are having a problem with DD and I'm pretty much at a loss.  She is 2.5 and never took a pacifier or sucked her thumb.  She does have some sensory issues and has been more likely to put stuff in her mouth.  Earlier in the year she was sort of chewing on her hand but it has turned into her sucking on her index and middle finger (either hand) and then twirling her hair with the other hand.  She has over the last couple months started doing this whenever tired, bored, etc.  It's gotten to the point where every morning and after every nap she has twirled her hair into a huge knot that I can't get out without hurting her.  And she constantly has a rash around her mouth from the sucking.  Obviously she is doing this for comfort but I do not know what a good alternative is for her.  We have been working on positive reinforcement and stickers during the day but I need something she can do in bed when I am not there.  I have been braiding her hair back but she usually gets those out pretty easily.  I would be very grateful for any suggestions.  
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Re: Twirling hair and sucking on fingers

  • J&Jaggies06J&Jaggies06 member
    My DD was/is a hair twirler. Our problem is her hair is still so short I couldn't do anything with it because she barely has as much as a boy haircut. For her we just talked to her about it. She didn't like the pain of getting the knot out so we talked about how if she didn't twirl it we wouldn't have to get a knot out. She has done it each time she had a major change on her life so it was how she coped. For us, it took no more than talking to her about it. She also likes to watch a show after daycare is we told her girls who don't twirl their hair get a show and that helped too. Good luck.
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  • jaylynn808jaylynn808 member
    I'm not sure how to stop hair twirling, but my SIL said she would soak her daughter's fingers in vinegar to stop nail biting. It smells bad but doesn't hurt them like hot sauce. I never used it but I'm tempted as DD always has her fingers in her mouth. Not sure if this would be considered too mean for a toddler tho. Her daughter was 5 at the time.
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  • Becid24Becid24 member
    Give her a Barbie doll or another doll with long hair that she can twirl instead.
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