Early Childhood

5 Ways To Help Your Child Beat the Habit of Thumb-Sucking

C. S. Hadebe 9 May 2024

Thumb sucking, according to Mayo Clinic, is a habit that most little ones use when “in need of soothing or going to sleep”. In a sense, what begins as a natural urge and a reflex becomes something of a coping habit. It is not something unnatural – it’s part of the journey of growth for your child.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) observed that normally children also use thumb sucking to “comfort themselves when they feel hungry, afraid, restless, quiet, sleepy, or bored”. All in all, the little ones suck on their thumbs to help them feel safe, pacified and secure.

The habit of thumb-sucking is normal for children under the age of 4, according to AHS. It only starts becoming a problem when it not only persists past the age but also grows in intensity and frequency.

Thumb sucking, once permanent teeth set in, can cause speech impediments, an open bite, an overbite, and the habit might also cause them to be bullied or teased by other kids their age.

Here are five ways to help your child kick the habit, gradually and with care.

Use a Finger Guard

Finger guards are a sure method in helping your child kick the habit. A medically-reviewed article on Healthline noted that finger guards are mostly notably “chemical-free” and “childproof so your child can’t remove them”. Finger guards come in different forms: some are plastic while others comfortably fit as partial yet flexible gloves.

Flexible Finger Guards | SUPPLIED

Never Shame Your Child For Thumb-Sucking, Be Positive Towards Them

Children are sensitive and their tender hearts respond well to positive words and encouragement. AHS reinforced this stance, stating: “Don’t shame or punish your child for thumb-sucking. This will only lower your child’s self-esteem.”

Mayo Clinic research also backed this method, saying: “Praise your child and provide small rewards […] when he or she isn’t thumb sucking.” Nobody knows your little one more than you do, and you know the things your child likes to hear from you. Use those things as incentives and remain positive when dealing with the habit.

Take Them to The Dentist, The Dr. Might Be Able to Get Through to Them

Findings documented in Healthline and Mayo Clinic both agree that, at times, a trip to the dentist may be something your little one needs to encourage them enough to break the habit. Little ones know that doctors know best, and having that one-on-one on the importance of breaking the habit of thumb-sucking could go a long way, even beyond talking to your young one as a parent.

Reward Them Consistently And On Days They Manage To Break The Habit

This method borrows from the one listed above, only now the rewards aren’t words but actions. When your child manages to break the habit (managing to go a day without sucking their thumb or even more), recognise their efforts. AHS posited that as a parent, you could “have a celebration for your child” or “put stickers on a calendar each day that your child doesn’t suck his or her thumb.”

The small things matter, and your child will remember when the urge creeps on them.

Apply Bitter-Tasting Liquids or Bad-Tasting Substance On Their Fingertip

In his article “Breaking the Thumb-Sucking Habit”, published on WebMD, Scott H Chandler, MD, suggested that “it may also be helpful to place a bitter-tasting liquid on the nail (not directly on the finger), especially at night, as a reminder not to suck.”

Bad-tasting substances can include things like perfume and bitter nail polish specially geared for such a purpose.