How Do You Break a Thumb Sucker?

S.,

I hope that I don't pop any bubble, but I have a 10 year old who suchs her thumb. Has only been sucking her thumb in bed and in the car for about 5 years now. We have tried everything...the polish, the mittens, bribery, what ever we could think of.

My mom was also a big thumb sucker. She stopped when she was 12 and was interested in boys. I guess we just have to play the wait and see thing. Good Luck.

The pharmacy has some of that Thumz stuff. Brush that on the thumb. That stuff is NASTY! It's supposed to break the habit.
Or maybe it's a matter of just outgrowning the habit.

My oldest son (who is 12 now) was about 7 and still sucking his thumb. I had never said anything to him until one day I mentioned what a big boy he was and that maybe he shouldn't suck that thumb anymore, and what did he think about that? He kind of just slowly nodded and he just stopped on his own.
A friend of mine tried a different approach and it worked for her, but I thought it sounded kind of gross (although it is an all natural solution). She would have her daughter put her thumb in her ear and get some ear wax on it, I guess that ear wax tastes very nasty. I just thought I would mention it in case it could help. Good luck!

This may sound nuts, but we talked to our son, then 4 about the orthodontist that our dentist wanted to send him to. He was a "strong" thumb-sucker and it was re-shaping his mouth, so they wanted to make him an appliance. We told him he wouldn't have to have it, if he stopped and crazy enough - he stopped!! We couldn't believe it. Soemtime they just don't know we aren't being mean, but really looking out for them....good luck!

My grandma put nail polish on my nails and made a big deal about how pretty my nails were. Then I spent so much time showing off my fingers rather than putting them in my mouth. Besides, nail polish has a pretty nasty taste.

Does your daughter want to stop? If she does the approach is quite different than you wanting her to. I have an 11 year old thumb sucker so I'm the worst advisor! But they do it because they need comfort, so be gentle and don't shame her, even if that might work. If you can enroll her in the process so she owns it, it might be more successful. My son is now saying its time to stop and I'm (joyfully) supporting him. Now that he's taking the initiative, I think he'll be successful. He has had anxiety issues since he entered preschool, so this is, to me, a sign he's really getting control of his emotions. He's still afraid terrorists will enter Canton, and that every rainstorm might turn into a tornado, but his thumb, he can control. I did some online research and it turns out many adults suck their thumbs. I guess its better than cigarettes or food for self comfort!

I've had three thumbsuckers. And the less you fuss the more likely they are to give it up. I NEVER said anything to any of mine and one started preschool and only sucked it in the car or at sleepytimes at home and she gave it up completely by 8. The other did the same... started school and did it less and less and was done by age seven. And I have one more that just turned seven and she hardly ever does it...just when she's tired or at bed-time. Good luck and don't stress...it's a security thing and they KNOW when they are ready to be "big" kids. Godspeed.

I was a thumb-sucker as a child. My parents tried different techniques to help me quit...none of which worked. The worst was the bitter tasting nail polish (please never do that to your child). It was terrible, it made all of my food taste bitter and it didn't stop me from sucking my thumb.
I finally stopped, on my own, sometime during the 2nd grade. I think I just grew out of it.
If she's only doing it in the privacy of your own home, I'd be patient and let her quit on her own.

I have recently bought and used some stuff for stopping nail biting and it worked nearly instantly for my son to stop sucking his thumb. a friend of mine told me about it and it worked for her son too. We both bought it at Meijer, but perhaps it can be purchased elsewhere also. It's called no "Bite It" (that is Bite It with a slash through it). Note that it clearly states that it is not for young thumb sucking children, but it also claims to be safe. Anyway, it worked for us and if you're really stuck, you may want to try it. It goes on like nail polish and seems to last around a week. Note that my son was a very dedicated thumb sucker.... Good luck.

They sell this stuff in the store called THUM. Its a liquid that you put on her thumb and when she goes to suck her thumb in will taste kind of spicy and hot.

My mom made a little mitten for me to put on my hand before bed. It had a face on one side and I got to color on the other side. It was basically a sack that she tied around my wrist so I couldn't get my finger (I sucked my finger) into my mouth at night. I don't know if this will work for you, as she is not just doing it at night, but it broke me of the habit, and it would make me a little more comfortable than putting anything on her fingers that she might ingest.

Good luck!

Two ways to stop it one they sell in walmart or any pharmacy section of a store a product for stopping thumb sucking it goes on the finger nails just like polish and has a bad taste to it. or you can do as my mother did red pepper on the thumb when she is sucking it it also works for kids who like to chew on the edge of their cribs unless like a guy I work with his daughter loves hot foods so it doesn't bother her. His mom had suggested it to him also and they tried it she just sucked her thumb more. in that case I would try lemon juice. he said that worked.

This may sound strange but it worked with my little sister. Crush some garlic and put it in clear nail polish. Paint your daughter's nails at night and in the morning. If she tries to suck her fingers the garlic will stink coming close to her face and if she puts her thumb in her mouth it will sting a little. Good luck. My sister sucked her fingers so much that she started to get welts!

I would take her to the dentist and orthodontist as well. My sisters were both avid thumb suckers (one of them until she was 7 or 8). My littlest sister saw all the stuff that my other sister had to go through (head gear, expander, braces, etc.) because of how long she sucked her thumb. I think that is what really made her stop. I'm not condoning scaring the life out of your child, but it seems that she is old enough to understand what can happend to her teeth if she continues. Good Luck!!

I was a die-hard thumbsucker as a child, too. I only stopped when my favorite 'blankie' (by then it was only a shred of a rec. blanket as I was 7 or 8) got 'lost' in a move. Once the blankie was gone...the thumbsucking stopped. Then on my wedding day my mom gave me my 'lost' blankie to carry down the aisle!!

We have used the bitter nail polish that you can get at any drugstore for our son...it worked pretty well but you have to reapply a couple times during the day.

~L.

Hi S., My name is M.. I was a thumb sucker until 11 or 12 years of age. My parents tried everything including putting this nasty tasting stuff on my thumb. I stopped abruptly one day because I feel asleep in school and was caught by my classmates sucking my thumb. From that day on I never did it again. Your daughter will stop when she is ready. She may be having some insecurity issues and this is how she copes. I was the middle child of 6 and lacked for attention badly but didn't realize that until I was much older and could figure it out for myself. Give her time, try not to harp at her. My teeth are perfectly straight, the dentists always told my parents I would have bucked teeth. They were wrong. Be patient. M.

Have you talked to your dentist my oldest daughters dentist told me that when mylie gets older that then can place something in her mouth so when she tries to suck her thumb that it will stop her. That might be of help if you.

Greetings S.,

It's GREAT that your 7 yr. old daughter only sucks her thumb at home or in the car!!! Thumb sucking is comforting. Some children suck their thumb or fingers where ever they are and whom ever they are with. It seems she doesn't want anyone to know she does this, so I think she will stop soon. Don't waste your time on band-aids or hot sauce. Ask her when she is going to stop. My husband asked our two yr. old son that very same question, and his response was today. Guess what? He did.
It sounds like your daughter might suck her thumb when she is lonely. Try being more attentive. When you are with her always be present.
Much success to you.

With love, peace and joy,
S.

Try stinking her thumb or put fingernail polish remover on her thumb it taste horrible and the first time she trys it she will have to take it out. Hope this works,

Jackie

I used to suck my thumb when I was a little girl. I was your daughters age when I stopped. I wanted to stop. It was very hard. No matter what I did my thumb would end up in my mouth by morning. I used to put my arm in my pillow case or pull my arm out of my sleeve into my pajamas. You could try the nail polish that tastes bad. Its to stop nail biting. My sister did with her daughter. Your daughter needs to want to stop. Then just be patent. Its not easy to do.

My six year old just stopped sucking his thumb in the last month and what worked for us was getting him on board with stopping this bad habit. We have been talking to him about stopping for probably more then a year and he knew the reasons why it was important to stop. He would try every night to not suck his thumb but he just couldn't seem to stop himself. We even had his dentist talk to him about why. We also put socks on his thumb at night. He'd keep them on for about 15 minutes and then take them off. In the end, I think that the combination of all these items along with not pressuring or yelling worked. It just took time. My husband and I didn't even realize that he had stopped until he pointed it out. So keep on pushing her to stop and be patient. Good luck!

Its really going to be sad to admit this but I came out sucking my thumb and from that moment on I did it all the time playing to school even sleeping I finally quite in 4th grade at school but still did it at home my parent tried tabasco sauce on my thumb and nasty sour lemon nail polish first my mom added sour lemon juice a few drops to nail polishe she hated and then my dad put tabasco sauce on my thumb i did suck it and i tell you i cried so i rubbed my eyes and then i had to wash my eyes but it worked well at least unless i became scared from thunderstorms and that was the only time i sucked my thumb i finally quit that at 15 i know its sad but hey i tell you it worked for me but please don't let her rub her eyes it really sucks

At 7 years old you can't break it, she has to want to change it. If she doesn't want to quit, you can still do things to make it more difficult and undesirable for her to suck her thumb.... but the behavior won't change. She'll still find a way! Now if SHE truly wants to stop then you're 80% there! But to stop sucking her thumb you need to help her find something else to replace it with. For instance, if she sucks her thumb when she is tired or sleepy, maybe have a small blanket with a silky edge or a stuffed animal that she could hold on to when she starts to feel like sucking her thumb.

My 10 year old son sucked his thumb until he was 8. He only quit because he had to get an expander to correct the dental problems that he created because of the thumb sucking. During that time we used a beloved blanket of his to help him go to sleep. Then when the expander came out, he had a new "habit" in place and didn't feel the need to use his thumb any more.

Good luck! No matter what happens just know that there will be a time when she will want to change it!! (But I tell you, after the hard time that he had breaking his habit.. I made sure that my other 3 kids used pacifiers!! It is much easier to get rid of a pacifier than a thumb!!)
God Bless!! B.