How do you stop a kid from sucking his thumb?
By DRoddy77
@DRoddy77 (1776)
United States
September 29, 2006 7:49am CST
I have boy/girl twins that will be 2 next month. My son sucks his thumb to the point of having a callous on it. My daughter sucks 2 fingers. How do I stop this? My older son had a pacifier, but I was able to just take that away from him. I cant take their fingers away! I've tried everything I can think of. I've tried putting bad tasting foods on their fingers (pickle juice, vinegar..etc), I've also tried the stuff that you put on their fingernails to make them taste really bitter. They gagged the first couple of times, but then they would still suck on them anyway! How do I get them to stop??
1 person likes this
9 responses
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
24 Jul 07
try putting some garlic in their fingers when their asleep. ^__^
@secretbear (19448)
• Philippines
26 Jul 07
what about peppers, or chili sauce? or any hot stuff? ^__^;;
I had a nephew from my cousin like that. it wasn't only until he reached high school that he stopped thumb-sucking. his mother said they've tried anything but the habit is very strong and persistent. ^__^;;
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
14 Dec 06
They will stop when they are ready. Some kids suck their thumbs for a while but eventually they do out grown it. The more you make an issue of it the more likely they will to continue to do it. They are only two, you don't need to worry.
And before you worry, it won't damage their teeth. It's an old wives tale. I have seen it a few times listed today. I can't believe that myth is still going on.
@DRoddy77 (1776)
• United States
14 Dec 06
Well, I know that when my older son was still using a pacifier his pediatrician told us that we needed to get him off of it as soon as possible (that was the easy part..the thumbs arent so easy). As for my younger son who sucks his thumb, you can already see how his teeth are crooked and forming to the shape of his thumb. How could sucking a thumb NOT affect how their teeth grow? Especially when he has it in his mouth for hours and hours at a time?
@4monsters4me (2569)
• United States
14 Dec 06
Well, you hope. I had 2 cousins that were habitual thumb suckers. The one finally quit when he joined the army at 18! Can you imagine what the other guys would have done to him in the army, lol. And I remember my other cousin still sucking her thumb when she was 13. I have a picture of it. She was so mad that I took it but she was just sitting there sucking away while watching TV.
For them it was a compulsion. They usually didn't even know they were doing it until someone said something. I still chew on my little finger if I am sitting with my head resting on my hand. I usually don't realize I am doing it and I do have a callous on that finger.
@paulbayatan (41)
• Philippines
2 Oct 06
My wife got this idea applying garlic juice on the thumb that daughter usually sucks and it works, every time she sucks her thumb (the one with the garlic juice), you can tell the disgust on her face and it's so funny. That moment on she never did it again.
@makemerich (101)
• India
8 Dec 06
I have a 14 month kid with the same thumb sucking habit, so lemme try the garlic juice too for my kid. But I guess as most of them say the habit will go as she grows older
@nikkiwith (1074)
• Australia
5 Aug 07
I recently posted the same question. My daughter is 4 and i can't get her to stop. It does make you wonder how on earth can they suck on their thumb after you've applied that bitter tasting nail polish, because children have thousands more taste buds than adults!!
@margieanneart (26423)
• United States
24 Feb 07
It would be best not to do anything. My daughter had a huge blister from sucking it so much. She finally stopped. Some kids will do it privately until they are 12 years old. It is a comfort, security thing. They all outgrow it eventually. No need to cause more stress on the child.
@Poison_Girl (4150)
• United States
7 Dec 06
It's funny that you mention putting bad tasting foods on their fingers/thumbs. I sucked my thumb for a long time and to get me to stop, my parents would put Tabasco sauce on my thumb. Well, it didn't work. I would just wipe it off and go back to sucking my thumb. I eventually stopped though and I'm sure they will, too.
