Finger sucking is driving me bonkers - please help....

[dizzyem]

My 7 year old daughter is still sucking her finger. She has done this since she was 6 weeks old. We have tried the horrible tasting stuff which worked for a while but now has no effect. We have tried rewarding her for not sucking for periods of time and then having stickers etc. We have tried Santa bringing a new toy. If she doesn't suck her finger then she chews her clothes - driving me mad ( & school too!) - any suggestions to help her stop would be most welcome.

I think it is habit more than anything. We have tried a special thing to hold and whilst it worked for a while, she then lost interest so tried swapping it for something else and same happened. Her teacher even tried giving her blu tack to hold each day. She is settled at school, perhaps it could be pressure from being in top group maybe? She has friends in school and we invite friends to tea and she plays with others at weekends in order to build friendships outside of school with the peope she sees in school.

She tends to suck her finger in the car, when watching TV, when listening to music, when sitting in assembly etc - alot of the time I don't think she realises she is doing it which is why I think it is habit.

Any suggestions for helping her stop this would be most welcome.

[ZuleikaD]

Why bother? It comforts her, she's fine with it, what's the problem? Plenty of adults suck their thumbs, fingers, or other things. The comfort obtained from the sucking reflex is very powerful, it's one reason so many people find it hard to stop smoking. Sucking pens is another replacement.

[dizzyem]

Thanks for that - its not just the physicality of her sucking her finger but also the noise she makes with it - a squeaky sucking noise as she has moved her teeth so much with the constant pressure that the finger no longer fits nicely in her mouth!
No solutions suggested so I guess I'll have to uinvest in some earplugs instead.

[Cocodale]

My daughter did as well from a few weeks old, she stopped all by herself one day when the dentist told her it would be a good idea before her grown up teeth came she was about 6. The fairy did leave her a lovely teddy as well but it was completely her choice.
Id say she needs to decide to do it herself, for my daughter the kind dentist helped with that.

[Iggly]

I used to do this. I remember the horrible tasting stuff and everyone trying to get me to stop. In the end I just decided I would stop and I did. Sadly I needed braces though.