How do you stop infants from thumbsucking?
By Pitstop
@pitstop (14134)
Australia
May 21, 2009 12:20pm CST
Can you suggest ways that are safe to slowly reduce or stop infants from thumbsucking? I see a lot of children do it.
3 responses
@wonttakelong (3555)
• United States
21 May 09
when you say infant, how old do you mean?
its natural for a child to soothe/comfort themselves
thumbsucking is alot better than using a pacifier
I suppose they stop when they gained the self confidence to not have to comfort themselves like that anymore
I have 5 kids and they all sucked their thumb
and they all stopped on their own
1 person likes this
@grammasnook (1871)
• United States
21 May 09
This would have been my exact response as I also had 5 children and they all stopped sucking their thumbs by the time they were a year or so. Give or take a few months. sucking is natural for a newborn anything that goes to their mouth will be sucked upon, test them put your nose there and they will try to suck it no joke. I would never reccommend a pacifier I never ever used one
1 person likes this
@muttrain1975 (16)
• United States
21 May 09
My 4 yr.old still sucks her thumb.we've tryed hot sauce and the stuff you buy that goes on like nail polish and taste horribal.nothing we've tried has worked.I'm hoping she stops when she starts school.
good luck
1 person likes this
@muttrain1975 (16)
• United States
21 May 09
sounds mean but maybe being teased will stop her :(
hasn't affected her teeth.but her dr. says the older she gets it will start to affect her jaw structure.
@meandmy3 (2227)
• United States
8 Jun 09
I would not prevent an infant from sucking their thumb, while there is a time in which you will need to break the habit, but now is not that time. For an infant thumbsucking is a form of self calming. They need this, and chances are little one sucked their thumb while in utero. So instead of stressing over this, give your baby his or her thumb. He or she needs it right now, they need it for their security for their comfort, there comes a time in a childs life that you may want to stress over it but at the infant stage is not the time.
