How to stop thumb sucking becomes a frustrating question for parents as the child grows. Yes, it is understood. The Babies learn to suck their thumb to their natural reflex. And the sucking behavior they have is earned from suckling their milk and getting nutrition.
Gradually it becomes a habit for them to self-soothe. Some children use only one hand and some use both and sometimes they suck fingers instead of the thumb. As the child grows, If the child is a strong sucker, this habit may cause a change in the shape of their mouth and create an overbite where the front teeth look pushed out. And If children stop themself before the permanent teeth come in then there are no issues but if not then parents need to correct them.
10 best ways to stop thumb sucking
Don’t worry, mom or dad. how to stop thumb sucking question is no more in your life when Your kid’s not stopping sucking thumb. Yes, it is a good idea to help your little one kick off the habit at a certain point. This is the right time to move ahead.
1. Keep Thumbs Busy and Distracted:
Keeping Thumbs Busy and Distracted as a distraction is one of the best ways to forget thumb sucking. When the child is busy he starts sucking his thumbs so this is the right time to distract his mind to be busy somewhere else. The minute you see the thumb heading toward the mouth, you need to divert the child into an activity that can help to keep both hands busy.
2. Consult your Child’s Dentist to stop thumb sucking
You are advised to meet your dentist when your child is four years of age and still sucking thumbs or fingers. It may be possible that his teeth are starting to reflect the harmful habit. So, in this case, a dentist can help you to fit a palatal appliance that keeps the thumb from pushing on the teeth. It also can help to kick off the sucking problems.
3. Stay Calm
Insisting is never the right way to stop your child from sucking their thumb. Actually, it isn’t very helpful. It will lead to a negative impact. Yes, it is natural that you might be worried about the potential damage due to sucking as it is inducting all the germs into their mouth. Please note that getting upset with a child isn’t likely to lead to cooperation. The parents need to stay calm with their children and encourage them to do the right practices.
4. Teach New Coping Skills to stop thumb sucking
A recent study found that they do this type of activity when they are feeling scared, anxious, sad, or bored. So, parents have to help them learn other strategies to handle uncomfortable feelings as mentioned above.
You are advised to do Medication and breathing exercises like listening to music or doing simple kid-friendly yoga etc. These moves can also help a child feel better. And has the potential to replace thumb-sucking as a way to cope.
5. Give Rewards
Positive reinforcement gives the motivation to your child to keep their fingers out of their mouth. You can create a sticker chart and present it to your child as a reward to promote a good environment. Give them a goal and reward for achieving the goal and the goal should be for not sucking the finger. It will increase the possibility to stop thumb sucking.
6. Offer Early Alternatives to Sucking:
If your baby has not stopped yet even at the age of 5 years. you need to try alternatives instead of pacifying him like playing animated games. As you may have seen earlier, babies learn other ways to find comfort in addition to the breast. They use a bottle, thumb, or pacifier, and the same trick might work now as playing a game.
7. Taste Tricks:
Taste is also a good source to draw attention. We heard about our grandparents and that they used bitter taste to stop thumb-sucking. And you will have a good number of success stories. Usually, they used to apply sauces on their fingers in a desperate attempt to get them to stop thumb-sucking. But I am not in support of taking extreme measures to stop as it can be quite upsetting to kids. You can use a little vinegar on a child’s thumb to make it taste different or something else without it being dangerous or harmful.
You can change your strategy if a particular one is not working.
8. Thumb Sucking Guards:
Thumb sucking guard is also an option That you can try. It may get a bit expensive. It allows your child to still engage in daily activities without having many difficulties. This is one of the most successful ways to help your child stop thumb-sucking if it is used correctly. You may take advice from your dentist about thumb guards, and how you can succeed using them.
9. Mask wearing:
Wearing a mask is a new option you can have. It was recently introduced after COVID- 19. We have many success stories about how masks have stopped thumb-sucking. This is one added benefit as it provides protection from spreading viruses. creating a barrier to stop them from putting their fingers in their mouths is an effective way.
10. Open up a dialogue:
You need to understand that your kids don’t realize that sucking their thumb is a bad habit while growing. Asking curiously rather than condemning them may help them. Now you can guide your kids as he has grown at a level of understanding.
Closing Line:
Kids love thumb sucking but it is the parent who needs to ensure to stop it at the right time. We have shared some best ways to stop it while sitting at home. And anyone can achieve the goal if they follow all the steps correctly.