How can I get my 2 year old to stop thumb sucking?!

[yourmyforever]

So my son turns 2 in two weeks and he has sucked his thumb since he was around 3 months old. He doesn't do it excessively but he has a comfort teddy and soon as he has hold of this his thumb will go straight in. He will also suck it if he doesn't have the teddy and is tired. He cant sleep without the teddy and as soon as he is put down to go to sleep his thumb will go in.

I would really like him to stop as I had lots of trouble with my own teeth and needed braces so would like to prevent the chance of this happening!

I bought a thumb guard from DR Thumb just after Christmas and he actually stopped sucking it for around 6 weeks however he then got quite poorly and gradually started sucking it again. I used the thumb guard again however this time he started to suck his other thumb.

So I tried something else and bought the nail varnish that is supposed to be for when you are trying to stop biting your nails. This worked for around a week but now he doesn't react to its taste so it doesn't work.

I know lots of people will say just let him suck his thumb but I just want to know if anyone else has had this struggle and what has worked as I am running out of ideas!?

Thanks in advance

[hellsbellsmelons]

I didn't really encounter this with mine.
But.... I did suck my thumb.... Until I was in my early 20's
My parents tried everything. Absolutely everything.
It's not something you can take away so there's not an awful lot you can do.
My sister sucked her finger until she got a brace and couldn't do it anymore.
Not helpful I know.

[hellsbellsmelons]

If you want more responses you might want to move this to 'Chat'

[GiveMyHeadPeaceffs]

I sucked my thumb until I was 14...my teeth are great! My dentist said that thumb sucking doesn't affect your teeth. If it gives comfort then I wouldn't worry about stopping it.

[asnmdirteha]

My niece is 4 and she is still sucking her thumb. Apparently none of us sucked our thumbs when we were younger and we're afraid that she might keep doing it if we don't stop it...

[williwonti]

My son does exactly this too.....i'm not too concerned yet.

[Voteforpedr0]

I had a friend who was a sucker right into her thirties, which was one of the reasons I gave mine dummies. Could you introduce anew orthodontic dummy for a few months ? At least then you could take it away

[StandoutMop]

I sucked my thumb until 8 or 9 ish. Straight teeth, never had braces.

My 3 DC all do it to varying degrees. The one with the straightest teeth sucks hers the most.

I can't help with how to stop it, I just grew out of it and am assuming mine will do the same, but maybe our OK teeth will reassure you, if you can't solve it.

[MerryMarigold]

We stopped our twins at around 3yo. They are 7 and still suck in their sleep bless them. We used plasters on the offending fingers and a toy prize for when they had stopped for a week.

[scotsgirl64]

My ds sucked her thumb until she was about 9 ( along with teddy!) ...of my 3 children, she has the straightest teeth!!.... Don't stress about it . My mil hated her thumb sucking but it was a comfort to my dd

[janethegirl2]

My Ds still sucks his thumb and he is an 'adult' technically!

[Nimportequoi]

Apart from the teeth thing, is there another reason for you to want him to stop? Because he doesn't have definitive teeth yet anyway and many children suck their thumb in a way that only has minimal impact on their jaws.

[DPotter]

I sucked my thumb regularly until I was about 14 and intermittently after. I have straight teeth and didn't need a brace so I wouldn't worry from that score. My Mum tried everything to stop me, but nothing worked. Please don't worry about it

[OzzieFem]

I sucked my thumb in public until I was about 9, then only in private when I was upset (ran to the loo and sucked thumb, and in bed, until I was about 11. My front teeth were, and still are perfectly straight.

[howmanyairmiles]

My grandfather would threaten to put "cat muck" on my fingernails if I didn't stop biting them.

It was years later that I discovered I liked the taste of cat muck or marmite as is otherwise known.