Your baby sucks thumb. This worries you. Take heart. Almost all babies suck thumb, in their initial years. It is a normal response to anxiety or hunger. Research shows that even unborn babies, who won’t experience hunger, suck their thumbs. My Health Guardian finds more about this childhood habit.Thumb sucking is known to peak between 18 and 21 months and more than 80 percent children give up this habit before the age of four to six, on their own.
Thumbs down
Normally children outgrow thumb sucking. But if the child persists with thumb sucking beyond the age of 4 years, parents need to worry.
“A strong thumb sucking habit by a child beyond the age of five or six can alter the jaw line and result in ‘buck teeth’ where the front teeth may be pushed out of alignment. This can alter the shape of the face and lead to an open bite”, says Dr. Shilpi Tandon, dentist with Max Healthcare.
Dr. Tazeen Kidwai, consultant paediatrics with Max Health care says, “Children sucking their thumb are at increased risk of gastro-intestinal infections. Speech problems may interrupt the normal flow of conversation in such children and they begin to mispronounce ‘t’ and ‘d’, lisp and thrust out the tongue when talking.”
In fact, thumb sucking leads to a ‘cause and effect’ kind of scenario. “Friends can take jibes at such children, which in turn can increase her anxiety levels and lower her self-confidence. In a bid to soothe themselves, they begin sucking their thumbs and try to hide this from parents and peers”, points out Dr Arti Anand, consultant psychologist with Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
In extremely rare circumstances, children continue with thumb sucking even in their teen years. “For them counseling helps”, informs Dr. Arti.
No more thumb sucking
- Give stars. “You might mark a star on a calendar when the child goes without thumb sucking for each period (such as a day or week). Reward her by counting the stars she gets at the end of the week Then again give her some bigger gift as well more stars at the end of the month. Thus the child will be motivated to leave thumb sucking automatically,” shares Dr. Arti.
- Divert her mind. While your child is watching TV, have toys available for her to play with. Sit with your little toddler during this time and give a hug to help her not to suck. Lots of praise and support should prove as an ally to help your child. In the car, give some toys to distract her attention from sucking the thumb.
- Bitter bite. Your dentist or paediatrician can prescribe a bitter medication to coat the thumb. Apply this before she gets sleep or whenever you find her sucking her thumb.
- Bind the thumb. Put gloves on your child’s hands or wrap her thumb with a bandage or a cloth. Explain her that it is not for the punishment but to remind her to get rid of thumb sucking.
Always keep in mind that nagging will not help, but patience and perseverance will.
