How to wean a child off sucking his finger?

Are you not thrilled that your child sucks his thumb, although he is already 5 years old? And have you been thinking for a long time about how to wean your child off of thumb sucking? Of course, this habit can sometimes be useful as an act of self-determination, it has remained since the moment the child was in his mother's womb. But when a 5-6 year old child sucks his thumb, it can become an object of pity and ridicule. So at what point does thumb sucking become a bad habit? And how can you help your child stop sucking his thumb? How can you find other ways for the child to calm himself down?

Thumb sucking: is it harmful or not?

Most doctors agree that thumb sucking is relatively harmless – but only in the early years of childhood. In fact, if you notice your child sucking his thumb and want to stop this bad habit before he turns four, your efforts may backfire and make the thumb sucking habit even more frequent, but secret. The child will simply hide from you.

Most children eventually give up the habit on their own. However, if thumb sucking continues into their four or five years, it can increase their risk of developing dental or speech problems.

Why does a child suck his thumb?

Those who continue to suck their thumbs into early preschool years most likely see it as a return to the comforts of the maternal environment they experienced before birth. Children may also suck their thumbs when they are tired or bored.

How to stop the habit of thumb sucking?

If you think your child is old enough to stop thumb sucking, there are some gentle methods you can try to stop the habit. One way to help your child stop thumb sucking is to give them something to do with their hands. Or help them find other ways to calm down when they are fussy or sleepy.

You could teach your baby to rub his thumb in a rhythmic, circular motion on his palm, or rub his cheek with his index finger. Another method to stop thumb sucking is to wrap your baby's thumb in a bandage or a piece of gauze. Of course, this won't physically stop your baby from sucking his thumb, but it will serve as a reminder every time he absentmindedly puts his thumb in his mouth.

You can also apply something unpleasant to the taste, smearing it on the baby's finger, for example, a substance such as vinegar. Although some parents say that their children get used to the bitter taste of the finger and after a while they may even like this taste.

Child reward system

While you want to break your child's thumb-sucking habit, try to avoid blaming or punishing your child for what is essentially a self-soothing activity. Praise your child when you see him doing something useful with his hands other than thumb-sucking. You can also set up a system of rewards, such as sticking a chart on each day without thumb-sucking and giving your child gifts for not putting his thumb in his mouth.

You should seek help from a doctor if your child has additional dental and speech problems as a result of thumb sucking. Also, if your child is being teased or asks you for help in stopping this bad habit, it is time for you to step in and work more actively with your child. Your pediatrician or pediatric dentist should evaluate the situation and find the best ways to help your child.

Overall, thumb sucking is one of our most natural, reflexive behaviors, and it shouldn't cause too much concern. But when a child's thumb sucking starts to create problems for the child (and therefore for the parents), it's time to help the child find another acceptable, more adult way to relax and feel at ease.