Not all habits are bad.
Take tooth brushing, for instance. How would you feel if you didn't brush your teeth in the morning before heading to work? Yet even brushing your teeth can be harmful. If you brush your teeth too vigorously, you can damage your gums.
The same can be said for thumb or finger sucking. It's part of normal childhood development. All infants need to suck, or else they would starve. By six or seven months old, many children stop sucking on a thumb or pacifier. It's not uncommon, however, for a child to continue thumb sucking into their early elementary school years.
For some reason, some children have stronger sucking needs. Ultrasounds have shown some infants sucking their thumbs before birth; others begin shortly after being born. Doctors believe they do so because it produces a calming effect.
Many children have more than one habit. Your thumb-sucking child probably likes to cuddle with a favorite blanket. Besides thumb or finger sucking, other common childhood habits include fingernail biting, cuticle picking, nose picking, and hair twirling. These habits develop as early as three years old and can continue into adulthood.
Habits Are Hard to Break
You're probably unaware of some of your habits. Maybe you hum while washing dishes, or tap on the steering wheel while driving. In general, your habit causes no harm even though some people mihgt be annoyed by it and others might tease you about it.
That's how it might be with your children. Kids engage in hair twirling, fingernail biting, and other habits without even being aware of it. As your children mature and develop self-understanding and self-control, their habits will probably disappear. Don't be surprised, though, if the behavior stops and then recurs at various times for no apparent reason.
Doctors don't know with certainty the reason for typical childhood habits. When they are no longer comforted by it, or can substitute something else, the behavior will stop. For example, children who pull on their cuticles generally cause bleeding and pain and will eventually stop the habit.
Your thumb sucking school-aged child will probably be teased by other kids. These comments might bring an end to the behavior. Or, it might make the habits more intense or cause your child to become more secretive.
Truisms That Are Really True
"Ignore it and it will go away." Thumb sucking and other childhood habits will eventually go away. When you make a big deal out of them with harsh words, ridicule, or punishment, you're making your child more anxious and tense. Since they are engaging in the habit for comfort or to relax, in essence you've just reinforced the habit.
"Accentuate the positive." When you notice your child NOT participating in the offensive habit, praise them (in contrast to scolding them when they do). If appropriate, you and your child can agree on a reward system. Some children respond well to a sticker star chart and daily rewards. Others prefer longer-term goals and larger rewards.
"Get to the root of the problem." Determine exactly when your child engages in the habit. Is it at times of insecurity, fear, or stress? Once you've determined the cause, work to provide comfort and to remove the cause if possible. Maybe the behavior is linked to a time of day, or is engaged in when your child is bored. If your child is aware of the triggers, it might make it easier to stop the habit.
A Final Word About Thumb Sucking
Most children stop sucking their thumbs by age five. Beyond age six, seven, or eight, thumb sucking can interfere with the proper growth of your child's mouth and the alignment of their teeth. This is particularly true if your child is a vigorous thumb sucker. Braces and other orthodontic treatments can correct this damage, but it's expensive for you and could be painful for your child.
An external barrier such as a bandage on the thumb or a sock around the hand works to remind your child not to suck his or her thumb or fingers. Some parents paint bitter-tasting medicines on their child's fingers or thumb to discourage sucking. This method has limited success, but since the medicines are inexpensive, it might be worth a try. You'll have more success if you child wants to stop the habit.
Ask your dentist to explain the consequences of thumb sucking to your child. If the habit begins to affect their dental health, your dentist can prescribe a mouth appliance to discourage thumb sucking. |
