thumb sucking... grrr

[jumpaway]

Our 3 year old still sucks her thumb. Her teeth are moving due to this habit of hers. We are at our Witt's end trying to stop her. She now is talking with that thumb in her mouth. Help......... how do we stop her. Do you have any successful ways? Thanks.

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I didn't mention she was a premmie. Never had a dummy. Always sucked her thumb.

[MrsHappy]

I know it's not the nicest way and others may have a better idea but there is stuff you paint on their fingers that tastes gross! Called stop bite I think, its from the chemist and for nail bitters and trust me its gross! Or another thing I have done is restrict when or where she can suck it so.....only in bed or in the car or only at nap times etc, you have to be firm this way but its nicer than the gross taste, you then slowly reduce the okay times! Have you tried any methods already?

[BabyPaparazzi]

:iagree:was going to be my suggestion, word of warning, make sure you wash your own hands after applying cause if you accidently get yourself it definetly is gross, but wash away from where they can see, it washes off and if they realise that they will sneak off to do it themselves.

[Pinkzy]

:iagree: I also agree - my mum used this awful tasting stuff when I was little for both my nail biting and thumb sucking habits. Worked wonders :thumbsup:

[prideNJoy]

I don't know either! I have a 2.5yr old thumb sucker and a 4 yr old fingers sucker! ARGHHH. :hissy:

I can honestly say from experience, and many other's who i've spoken with (It's amazing how easily you get into convo with strangers about thumb sucking when they see you have one! LOL) whom have digit suckers that the nail painting stuff doesn't work. My grandmother did it to me as a young child also, and i just sucked it off....i can still vaguely remember how horrid the stuff was too, but it didn't stop me.

I've briefly tried putting pretty character band-aids over the thumb and fingers and that worked during the day for a little while....

But to answer your question...i honestly don't think there are any tried and proven remedies for stopping them, i think it's something they'll stop when they are ready, for the most part.

[Bell & Bug]

My mum let me suck my thumb til I just stopped one day. I had a huge calise (sp?) from sucking my thumb, and my teeth also moved.
I honestly have no suggestions, but I too have heard that the stop bite stuff doesn't work.
My DD is a finger sucker, but only does it when tired (its her way of communicating to us she wants to go to bed) or sleeping. I guess I'm lucky coz I really don't mind it, it puts her to sleep :)

[codswallop]

most kids stop on there own buy school age, and dentist say that its not really a issue until there adult teeth come in, witch at that time they are still sucking you can get a thumb Gard (its like rubber sheath(hehe sounds a bit naughty) that slides over the thumb and ties around the wrist or in extrema cases you can get a mouth plate that has ridges on roof so the child cant actually create a suction bond
if your really worried that it is interfering with her teeth take her to see a dentist they will be able to advise you on what to do
also with the stop bite its not recommended for long term use or with small children

[jumpaway]

Thanks for your advise I was hoping for a miracle cure.

[FearlessLeader]

Do you happen to know anyone missing a thumb??? that's what made ME stop- dad worked with a man who was missing his thumb, he came round to a party at our place once and told me "look at that! i sucked my thumb when i was little, and i sucked it RIGHT OFF!!" scared the beejaysus out of me, and i NEVER sucked my thumb again!!:laughing:

[dreamtobeamummy]

Do you happen to know anyone missing a thumb??? that's what made ME stop- dad worked with a man who was missing his thumb, he came round to a party at our place once and told me "look at that! i sucked my thumb when i was little, and i sucked it RIGHT OFF!!" scared the beejaysus out of me, and i NEVER sucked my thumb again!!:laughing:


LOL!! Thats hilarious!!

My almost ten year old DSS still sucks his thumb and he knows we don't like him doing it so he tries to hide it.. but I dont think he has worked out just how to hide it properly. I just tell him its yucky and to stop doing it.

[nannymummy]

Hopefully they will stop. I never did. I will still suck my thumb (without noticing) when I'm really tired and if I'm sleeping really soundly. My mum tried to stop bite and i sucked it off. I had a plate and that did not work as i don't pull at the roof of my mouth just rests there. I hope you can find something that works for you as it can be embaressing when you dont even realise you are doing it and you don't want them to have that