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Q: Thumb Sucking!!
asked by:
Jolie_3110
Extremely eHealthy
He goes to playgroup 2 mornings a week and after summer break in september he will start going 4 mornings. This is when I plan to start trying to break the habit!! He has his blanket too, which (in september) I am going to keep to the bedroom, So (apart from if hes sick or going on long day trips) he just has it at bedtimes. How do I stop the thumb though??? I cant leave this upstairs too!! I truely have no idea how to stop him!!
Any advice would be hugely grateful!
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Replies(13)
oh_mommy
Supporter
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mamaTT
Extremely eHealthy
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AyaMiyaki
Especially eHealthy
My daughter is a thumb sucker too. I had originally planned on starting to break her when she hit 1, but now that she's 11 months I know she's too young to understand. I was thinking of trying it when she was a bit older, maybe around 1 1/2 or 2?
Hearing about .Lucas makes me kind of nervous for .Alyvia though...
let me know if you find something that works for him!
Hearing about .Lucas makes me kind of nervous for .Alyvia though...
let me know if you find something that works for him!
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young Girl
Especially eHealthy
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arcadia
Extremely eHealthy
gabe already sucks his thumb like a maniac & he's not even 4 months old
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AyaMiyaki
Especially eHealthy
| arcadia wrote: |
| gabe already sucks his thumb like a maniac & he's not even 4 months old |
krissy krissy krissy krissy krissy!
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Jolie_3110
Extremely eHealthy
the reward charts a good idea thanks, the only problem is though alot of the time I dont think he realises he's doing it, if he gets tired or watches some t.v in it goes. hmmmm. this is going to be a hard one.
My health visitor thinks I should just leave it and he will top himself as he gets older esp. as hes a boy and realises its not exactly a cool thing to do!
I dont want to leave it though, I am worried about his teeth and jaw. He already has a big overbite where his top jaw is in front of his lower. I have consulted his dentist on this and she seemed to think it wasnt so bad as long as he had stopped before his secondry teeth come through, as often this sorts out the problem. Maybe I am worrying to much?!
My health visitor thinks I should just leave it and he will top himself as he gets older esp. as hes a boy and realises its not exactly a cool thing to do!
I dont want to leave it though, I am worried about his teeth and jaw. He already has a big overbite where his top jaw is in front of his lower. I have consulted his dentist on this and she seemed to think it wasnt so bad as long as he had stopped before his secondry teeth come through, as often this sorts out the problem. Maybe I am worrying to much?!
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AyaMiyaki
Especially eHealthy
Maybe you could put a bandaid on it every day? That way, when he's tired and it slips into his mouth, he'll immediately notice and take it back out? Or, I don't know, something like that?
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Zanny
Supporter
It doesn't always affect the teeth's development, my boyfriend's sister has sucked her thumb all her life & she has beautifully straight teeth. I think the thumb she sucks is slightly smaller than the other one though
*edited to add, I didn't post this to scare anyone, the person I'm referring to has sucked her thumb for 23 years, so it's bound to do *some* damage after all that time.
*edited to add, I didn't post this to scare anyone, the person I'm referring to has sucked her thumb for 23 years, so it's bound to do *some* damage after all that time.
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n0rthernbelle
Experienced User
I don't have any advice, because I sucked my thumb till I was 11! Yes, I had thousands of dollars worth of orthodontic work done, but it was because my mouth was too small and my teeth were crowded. Btw, the thumb I sucked is the same size as the other one. 
My parents didn't pressure me to stop sucking my thumb and I'm grateful they didn't make an issue of it. I stopped when I was ready to. I don't think I would have stopped sucking my thumb even if my parents had tried to get me to. I understand you being worried about his teeth and jaw, but he's not hurting anyone and it's a great source of comfort for him. With the new baby coming (congrats!), worrying about him sucking his thumb is probably the last thing you need.
My parents didn't pressure me to stop sucking my thumb and I'm grateful they didn't make an issue of it. I stopped when I was ready to. I don't think I would have stopped sucking my thumb even if my parents had tried to get me to. I understand you being worried about his teeth and jaw, but he's not hurting anyone and it's a great source of comfort for him. With the new baby coming (congrats!), worrying about him sucking his thumb is probably the last thing you need.
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oh_mommy
Supporter
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Eyes Wide Shut
Especially eHealthy
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Jolie_3110
Extremely eHealthy
| rasuyoung wrote: |
| I don't have any advice, because I sucked my thumb till I was 11! Yes, I had thousands of dollars worth of orthodontic work done, but it was because my mouth was too small and my teeth were crowded. Btw, the thumb I sucked is the same size as the other one. My parents didn't pressure me to stop sucking my thumb and I'm grateful they didn't make an issue of it. I stopped when I was ready to. I don't think I would have stopped sucking my thumb even if my parents had tried to get me to. I understand you being worried about his teeth and jaw, but he's not hurting anyone and it's a great source of comfort for him. With the new baby coming (congrats!), worrying about him sucking his thumb is probably the last thing you need. |
lol, you make me sound like an pushy parent!!
I would never pressure .Lucas to do anything and I dont think I am really making an issue of it. I was just looking for a few ideas, I think the reward chart and just abit of general encouragment are probably what we will do. We would never just whip his comforts away from him, as I said after september he can keep his blanket to his bedroom, this isnt taking it away this is just adjusting him to the fact he is growing up and doesnt need it all the time!. He needs to learn to cope without it because at playgroup he cant have it to hand all day!!.
I have no issue with children such as yourself being left to decide for yourself when enough was enough, I sucked my thumb till I was... pretty old too
!! but to be honest I dont really want lucas doing that. If I was talking about a pacifier I bet people would be horrified if I talked about letting him have it for as long as he wanted to. Whats the difference with his thumb??. Plus if I thought it was going to be a huge problem I wouldnt do it around the time the new baby was born
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