How Can I Help My 5 Year Old to Stop Thumb Sucking.

I don't know if this will apply to you, but I know as soon as my son went to school, he stopped dead cold. I think it was between the social aspect, and the fact that his nail started to crack that freaked him out about it. It definitely made him want to stop doing it. If you know of things that he is concerned about about his thumb, maybe you want to point those things out to him? I don't know, just a thought. Sometimes, I think it's better when we let the kids do things rather than trying to force them to do the things we think they should do. It certainly seems to take much better. Hope that helps a little, sorry if it doesn't.

Hi L.:
You helped make my point in another recent request.You can eliminate a pacifier. You can't get rid of a THUMB. You should have given him a pacifier,when you realized early on that he was a sucker.If your son loves sucking his thumb,there isn't A icky, awful tasting thing he won't lick past to get to it. If I was you,I'd give him things,more enticing,more enjoyable to suck on,like ice pops.I wish you and your son the best. J. M

If you go to the dentist they put in a little retainer behind the teeth that prevents the thumb from being sucked see a pediatric dentist

I was a SERIOUS thumb sucker until I was 6. It did cause me problems with my bite that actually required surgery to correct. So as you can imagine I was very upset when my youngest daughter began sucking her thumb just weeks after birth. I tried everything to stop her, bought her every type of pacifier that exists. She refused them all. She's 2 now and I have finally come to the conclusion that she will stop when she's ready. I will not force the issue, but I will try to positively encourage her to stop.

Side note - I absolutely despise it when people tell me that I should have given her a pacifier when she was an infant. As if they know what I did and didn't do with my baby.

My brother sucked his thumb until he was 9, and I sucked my thumb until I was 11! No matter what anyone did, neither one of us stopped until we were ready. We both, however, deeply resented any of the attempts to take away blankets, tabasco sauce, shaming, punishment, etc. He won't go to college sucking his thumb. Or even high school. But kindergarten? Yup. Give him time, encourage him, but don't try to force him. Good luck!

By the way, my sister never sucked her thumb. Go figure.

Hi L.-

We tried everything and when my daughter was in 3rd grade ended up having using a Thumb Guard. I googled it and this is what came up for Amazon. http://thad-kiewel.amazonwebstore.com/Stop-ThumbSucking-w.... I got mine from "The Right Start" but at least you know what it looks like and you can shop around. Honestly, nothing worked and she was starting to have dental problems. This was great because it was non-invasive. You put it on your child for a couple of months, (I think that was it, she's now 13,) and then taper off. It worked great for her and then a few months later she put her thumb in her mouth to see if she really had kicked the habit, and apparently she hadn't. We did it again and this time only kept it on for a little over a week. She hasn't sucked her thumb since!!

Good Luck!

Hi L. :)
I sucked my thumb at night before bed until I was in FIFTH GRADE! I know...embarrassing *lol
But I did not ever end up with any dental problems from it. It took the principle of my elementary school scolding kindergartners, saying that kindergarten was no place for thumb-suckers. I was mortified that I was still doing it in fifth grade!! So I slept for a week with socks on my hands and it did the trick :)
Best of luck but don't stress over it...it will happen eventually :)

I sucked my thumb until i started school yes my teeth are not straight but they dont look that bad im 86 married for 60 years lived a happy life so if people didnt like how my teeth looked they never told me. Just teach your child to be tolerent love his fellow man take responseability for his own ctions and you will raise a great kid . Good luck A. fron no. Hills

please don't try to stop him, he will probably stop on his own and if you force him it can traumatize him. Chance are that most kids as they grow up need dental work. I would rather have a happy kid in braces than an unhappy kid with MAYBE straight teeth

therapist to kids with "special needs"

There is a nail polish that they use to help get kids to stop biting nails... maybe the taste of it would help with thumb sucking as well?