Breaking A Thumb Sucking Habit

Thumb sucking, probably one of the most common habits among children today and while there may be many reasons for it, this habit needs to be stopped quickly. Hopefully this article will give you some clever tips for breaking your kid’s thumb sucking habit.

Thumb sucking has negative physical and emotional repercussions for a child. Physically, thumb sucking can cause crooked teeth, buck teeth, malformation of the fingers and infections under the fingernails. Emotionally, thumb sucking can contribute to low self-confidence issues and can evoke teasing from other children, especially if you don’t stop the habit before they start school.

What Can You Do?

Well, there are several different ways to go about breaking a bad habit. You know your child best so, as you read through some of these ideas, pick one or two that you think will work the best for your child and try them out. If one doesn’t seem to be working then try another as you will likely find one that works. Realize ahead of time that it might take a lot of hard work on your part and theirs to break the habit.

Create Awareness of the Problem

Sometimes young children aren’t even aware that they suck their thumb or bite their nails, among other habits. It has probably become so commonplace to them that it feels natural and they don’t notice they’re doing it. Making them aware of the problem will help get the ball rolling. As children suck their thumbs for a variety of reasons, watching when they do it will give you clues as to reasons why they do it. Nervousness and boredom are just two of the many reasons why children suck their thumbs and they are usually unaware that they’re doing it. Mentioning it to them when they’re doing it is a great idea as well. This will help them stop and think about their actions a little bit more and help you understand a little better why it’s happening so frequently.

Create Distractions

Since we are talking about young children, for the most part, distracting them won’t be hard. Whenever you see your child thinking about sucking their thumb or wanting to suck their thumb, distract them by playing a game with them, or reading a book. There are hundreds of things that you can use to distract a toddler including play dough, coloring and crafts. Be creative. Do not, however, replace one habit with another.

Reward Them and Be Consistent

What toddler doesn’t love a great reward for showing positive behavior? They all do. That’s what makes this so easy. Find something that they love and don’t hesitate to reward them when you see the behavior you’re looking for. Remember to always be consistent with it.

Finding ways to break your kid’s thumb sucking habit can be frustrating. No habit is ever easy to break, so be prepared for some hard work and possibly even some tears. Don’t give up though, as every habit can be broken with enough hard work and persistence.