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Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Behaviour/development

when thumb sucking doesn't stop....

24 replies

BendandBreak · 28/03/2007 12:11

Hi mumsnetters.
Thought I'd post on behalf of a friend today. She has 2 dds, 9 and 7. The dd who's 7 still sucks her thumb and she's now getting worried about it.
(I'm not, as I did it until age 12 and my dd till 16! However, this and all my talk of ignoring it does not calm her worries).
She would like to learn of any tricks or methods of getting her daughter to stop it for the sake of her adult teeth (understandably).
I thought perhaps many of you may have suggestions for her. I know my own cousin got her 3y dd to stop using her dummy by leaving it for Santa one year!
Any suggestions?
In anticipation

OP posts:

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laudaud · 28/03/2007 13:10

I helped my Uni Friend (she was 18!) to stop by pushing her hand against her face (can't really describe this verbally!)any time she was sucking her thumb. That and the embarassment of being a thumb sucker at University combined stopped her pretty quickly.

BendandBreak · 28/03/2007 22:33

V helpful laudaud

Anyone with any serious suggestions?

ANYONE AT ALL?

OP posts:

bigbird2003 · 28/03/2007 22:47

My daughter gave up after her orthodontist told her she had messed up her teeth alignment and jaw and if she didn't stop she would need jaw surgery as it couldn't stay the way it was and no brace existed that could withstand thumbsucking (though she sucked her finger)

She did it by painting her finger in stop biting nails stuff and she wore gloves in bed

I think can only succeed if they really want to (bit like kicking smoking)

Surfermum · 28/03/2007 22:51

Sorry, no suggestions from me, it's not like you can leave the thumb for Santa is it? I'm a 45 year old thumb sucker (now do it in my sleep subconsciously) and my teeth aren't that bad. I don't look goofy or anything but I can't eat spare ribs or orange quarters because they just slip back out without being able to bite anything. I can no longer bite sellotape off either, but that's in the last 5 years probably. My teeth have honestly never been a problem that the dentist has been concerned about or that I would want to do anything about cosmetically.

squidette · 28/03/2007 22:51

I am in my mid 30s and i still suck my thumb. My teeth are fine

She will stop when she is ready (i am not, evidently!) but reassuring your friend that thumb-sucking is not really the worst thing in the world might help her see that anxiety over it wont help it not happen.

BendandBreak · 28/03/2007 23:03

Thanks everyone, I agree with the suggestion that they have to want to do it themselves and that anxiety about it won't help.
I don't actually think they should even be paying it much attention!
But my friend's husband is a bit less of the softly-softly approach and a way of convincing a 7yo to stop on her own (without scaring the life out of her with teeth horror stories) before he starts would be good.
But I don't know the answer either.

OP posts:

ash6605 · 28/03/2007 23:04

ditto-a 27 year old thumb sucker hear-we've all go to have some bad habits!?

Surfermum · 28/03/2007 23:07

The only time I said I would step in with dd and her thumb sucking (which she was doing on her scan) is if she was doing it in public at an age where people would laugh. It's just that I can remember a girl on our first day at senior school sat in the classroom sucking her thumb and everyone laughed at her behind her back. I wouldn't want that for dd.

Having said that, how I'd go about it I don't know!

BendandBreak · 29/03/2007 09:36

Thanks again MNers.
Anyone with any new ideas this morning?

OP posts:

laudaud · 29/03/2007 13:08

It worked BandB.
I suppose it's a comfort thing so are there potentially different ways of providing her with comfort that are not going to have a detrimental effect on her teeth. Maybe try and identify ocacsions when she sucks her thumb and introduce distractions.
Is this any more helpful?

BendandBreak · 31/03/2007 00:28

Yes thanks, laudaud.

I think the general feeling is that the only real way is to distract her when we see it, with another form of comfort as you say.
Otherwise, we need to convince her that it's not good for her teeth in the long run and hope she'll stop it on her own.

OP posts:

giddyfeet · 31/03/2007 00:38

I'm 32 and still do it. My step father tried to make me give up through force when I was younger and it just increased the habit. Just let the child decide if/when they want to give up as at the moment they probably feel it is a comfort to them to do it and they will give up if they no longer feel the need for the comfort.

mamama · 31/03/2007 00:40

Oh, am all confused as there's another thread about this...

TwirlyN · 31/03/2007 00:51

a 36 yo trying not to thumb suck. I am currently undergoing othodontistry. nearly 2 yrs. I have had braces before, but could take them out. I tried to stop when i met my current partner. I think he knows when I'm stressed i will have a suck or twiddle with the cotton on the the pillows. tbo after nearly 2 yrs at my age I will stick with the procedure, plus vodka helps after tightening

mamama · 31/03/2007 00:53

TwirlyN

{hugs}

TwirlyN · 31/03/2007 00:59

Thanks. braces were tightened on thursday. How any teenager puts up with the pain i'll never know. It's a standing joke when i see my sexy young student, i'll be very tipsy for the next few days on vodka. infact he said he would join me in spirit. The me lad.

mamama · 31/03/2007 01:01

More vodke, tworly? (as you can see, I donlt need any more)

TwirlyN · 31/03/2007 01:04

No thank you good girls go to bed early. Nite nite,.Asha ahsa [crawling up the stairs]. where's the bog?

Peridot30 · 31/03/2007 01:06

THis was the reason that i gave my 2 a dummy. At least you can take a dummy away. ONce a thumb sucker always a thumb sucker!!!!

TwirlyN · 31/03/2007 01:07

Hae you tried taking the dummy away yet

mamama · 31/03/2007 01:10

Yes, ALWAYS a thumbsucker

Peridot30 · 31/03/2007 01:11

EMBARRASING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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TwirlyN · 31/03/2007 01:12

Mmmmm wanting to move on to bigger things.

mamama · 31/03/2007 01:13

Am not embarrassed at all

sucking bigger things, twrily?

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