Thumb sucking

[hj1981]

Any tips on how to help stop DD2 from thumb sucking? She only does it at bed time or when she is upset, but it has given her a big callous on her thumb and think it is time for her to try stopping!

[Olive]

To stop DD1 at 2.5yrs I used sports tape on her thumb, she couldn't removed it and wasn't nice to suck, took a few days but did work

[hj1981]

Thanks Olive, will give it a try

[Eenee]

DD sucks her thumb allll the time so might have to give this a go as it is affecting her teeth.

[hj1981]

Thats one of the reasons why i want her to stop Eenee

[Olive]

Same reason we stopped DD1, she has some dental issues because of it (and I'm a dental nurse )

[Eenee]

Bugger! She can get the sports tape off!!!

[hj1981]

same here too Eenee :-/

[Pholi]

What about the yuk tasting nailpolish that's used to stop nail biters? I remember as a kid licking my friend's nails to see if it really tasted as bad as she said, and it does!

[Boo Boo]

DS1 was an avid thumb sucker I bought the stuff you paint on that tastes yucky, he tasted his thumb once and never put it back in his mouth. His dentist advised I would have to do something urgently as his gumline and teeth were being affected badly. He was 3 when we did this and took him shopping for a little comforter to replace thumb.

[minimatron]

I'm desperately trying to stop dd3. She's been doing it since in utero and now at 2.5 she's certainly changing her mouth shape. I got the bitter tasting nail polish but I've been slack. The only time I put it on, she hated the taste, but after a while it wears off so it need reapplication throughout the day. I've got to get onto it soon... but am in the middle of toilet training, so once this is sorted I'll tackle the thumb issue.

[Eenee]

I do t really want her putting some yucky tasting chemical in her mouth though.

[Stevie]

My DD is 3.5 and has sucked her thumb since pretty much day 1.. She is old enough to talk to about it and she knows we don't like it, and she asks if she can do it (only does it when tired, or upset) she also has a blankie and as soon as she sees it she goes to stick her thumb in her mouth.. It's affecting her teeth.. Her front left and the one next to it aren't straight :-( I have horrible teeth and this is a big worry of mine that my kids will have to go through what I went through as a child.. And still to this day..
She has also in the last couple of weeks started biting/chewing her nails which is absolutely disgusting so we will be trying the nail stuff for sure.now, I don't like the idea of chemicals either but hopefully she just really doesn't like the taste and hardly puts her fingers in he mouth..
Good luck ladies, we may need it lol!

[wysiwyg]

DD is a thumb sucker it isn't affecting her teeth according to dentist and she never gets blisters on it so maybe she doesn't suck that hard. She also is old enough to talk about it and is giving up when she is four she says or is using the icky tasting stuff she also says. My sister, brother and DH all sucked thumb until much older than she is and have no teeth issues so I am happy with this approach. If dentist was concerned then I might do it differently. Like most things I am sure teeth are due to a combination of things including genetics, mouth shape etc and thumb sucking doesn't always equate to bad teeth, just like you can have teeth problems no matter how diligent you are about dental hygeine and thumb sucking etc.

I wouldn't worry about the chemical in the stop biting stuff - it is perfectly safe (at least it has been designed and tested to go in the mouth unlike chemicals in the adhesive on sports tape, which I am sure is also safe but obviously has not bern tested in same fashion) there may even be natural alternatives - the stuff tastes like ear wax and is revolting - my friend at school used to put it on her pens to stop me from biting them.

I do know that some types are not suitable for under 3's as they say they can get used to the taste so it won't be effective. (Some of the things toddlers put in there mouths and don't object to I can well believe that)

[HotI]

Could you try offering something good when she stops? A mate had luck getting rid of a dummy by offering nail polish when she stopped sucking the dummy.

[Eenee]

I still worry about chemicals in biting stuff as there are chemicals in foods I don't let my kids have either that have been deemed suitable to consume :/

[hj1981]

Could you try offering something good when she stops? A mate had luck getting rid of a dummy by offering nail polish when she stopped sucking the dummy.

I am going to try bribery , its hard when she does it most at night, cause i can't remind her not to do it! but you see the blisters on her thumb come morning and you know she has been sucking :-/

[Olive]

Can you go in at night and tape her thumb??