5 Ways to Effectively Stop Thumb Sucking
5 Ways to Effectively Stop Thumb Sucking
For many young children, thumb sucking begins before they are ever born. In fact, parents often stare in wonderment at their first ultrasound photograph of their unborn baby sucking their thumb. As they show off their pictures, they have little concern over what may potentially become a long-term habit. This is because thumb sucking is a normal part of development during a baby’s first several months of life. However, when a child sucks their thumb over a long period of time, it is important to stop thumb sucking before it begins to cause problems for a child’s dental health.
1. Stay calm-Many children suck their thumb in order to soothe themselves. Therefore, becoming angry or insulting a child will only lead them to continue their habit. Instead, it is best to calmly remind your child when they are engaging in their habit so that they can be gently prompted to stop.
2. Increase awareness-It is common for a child to engage in sucking their thumb without even knowing that they are doing it. In order for a child to learn how to stop thumb sucking, they must be aware that it is occurring. Simply ask a child if they know what they are doing, and then help them to find something else to use for soothing.
3. Replace the thumb-Because children often use their thumb for calming purposes, it can be helpful to offer them something else such as a special blanket or toy. While they will become reliant on this item temporarily, it will be an easier habit to break than sucking their thumb.
4. Establish no sucking times-At first, it may be too difficult for a child to be expected to go an entire day without sucking their thumb. Therefore, a useful technique is explaining that they cannot engage in their habit during certain times of the day such as while they are out in public. Then, the times can be lengthened as the child begins to gain control.
5. Use a thumb guard-When all of these other techniques do not work, a thumb guard can be the perfect solution. Thumb guards are painless covers that can be placed over a child’s thumb so that they lose the satisfying stimulation of sucking. These have been shown to be very effective for helping a child to stop thumb sucking in a short period of time.
Ending the habit of sucking a thumb can be challenging for both parents and children. Throughout the process, it can be helpful for parents to remember to stay patient as they help their child to break their habit through a gradual weaning that uses an understanding approach to eliminating thumb sucking.
Author Bio:
Paul and his wife Julie both spend quite a bit of time coming up with ideas, blogging, and researching all things related to childcare. They take care of all the necessary information related to “babysittingjobs.com/”. He personally thinks his blog will help finding information on all things related to a babysitter..