Thumb sucking

[Coj]

DD (8.5months) sucks thumb, friends have said it's so cute & I think it's great for self soothing. My mother always makes a fuss of it & says, "she will need a brace just like you did!" I never know what to say back because yes I don't want her sucking her thumb as a teenager, but is there anything I can do about it? She is only a little baby

[shrub]

don't worry she is only a baby - at least she can self soothe rather than rely on dummy. i sucked my thumb until i was 5 - my parents knew of a builder across the road who had his thumb cut off in an accident... well you can guess what he was told to tell me. i never sucked my thumb again

[Piffleoffagus]

I let my dd continue, it is cute, self soothing and natural IMHO
My 2 brothers and I all sucked thumbs, my youngest db hooked his thumb around his nose and needed orthodontic treatment at age 15,
my other db and U sucked thumbs til 13 without any problems, that said we only sucked when very tired...According to SIL who is with db youngest, he still does it during times of stress (hig browb financier) and he is 27 now... goes to show how soothing it is...

[unicorn]

Hmm I'm not sure.. my ds(2) who's now 2 has been sucking since birth... he sometimes gets really sore thumb as it gets chapped and dries out and skin cracks...
I read that it can impair speech so that concerns me a bit....hope he will grow out of it.. but he is a little anxious fella!!!

[Coj]

shrub- I was told a similar horror story which stopped me biting my nails
Piffle- I bet we all do self soothing things without noticing
unicorn- Is it always the same hand? Sometimes I try to guide a toy into DD's left hand

[unicorn]

Coj.. yep always same hand...distraction is ok when he's out and about, but if he has any falls, gets tired etc etc.. thumb goes straight in (oh he has a blanket as well!_ told u he was an anxious chappie!!)

[susanmt]

Thumb sucking is OK until the permanent teeth come in according to my dentist, as i was worried about dd1 (4) who sucks hers and dd2 (6 months) has just started doing it - has coincided with her sleeping through so I am delighted. Funny enough ds(2) doesn't.

Anyway, the dentist said that if they are still doing it when the permanent teeth come in at about 6 yrs then there is cause then to try and get them to stop, but most stop before then. I was worried cos I had a brace but I sucked my thumb up until the brace went on, but it made it too sore to suck - all that metal!

I wouldn't worry in a little thing like your dd - just be glad she can self soothe! My Dad goes on about it to dd1, and to me, and we make a game out of ignoring it lol!

[clary]

We have three thumb-suckers here (nearly 5, nearly 3 and 14 mo).People say how cute etc but have to say am really trying to get DS1 to kick the habit, as susanmt says becuase of teeth. He only does it when tired/worried but that can sometimes be several times in a day. But I'm not a fan of dummies and they can't lose their thumb, so it is good for soothing at bedtime. Also you can't stop them doing it if they want to IMHO. DD BTW also has poorly thumb as unicorn says (she gets excema (sp) as well) so am trying to get her to cut down too! Of course being Little Miss Bossy she's always telling the baby to stop lol.

[Coj]

Thanks ladies, I feel more at ease with it now. And even though I am a bit of a worrier, I think I can wait 6 years down the line.
Will just have to grit my teeth and ignore my mum then (again!)

[babysteffee]

My ds1 (nearly 4) sucks his thumb and it has pulled one of his front teeth forward quite a bit. It looks awful and everyone comments. He still won't stop though, no matter what I try. My dd (20 months) and ds2 (5 months) both have a dummy and dd has lovely teeth at the moment, so I'm happy for them to have their dummies for as long as they need them.

ds1 and dd both have a comfort blanket too, and dd also has a dolly, but ds2 has yet to find a comforting object. I try to rotate his toys and blankets etc and it's seemed to have worked so far.