Thumb-sucking six year old

[Italiangreyhound]

My daughter is six, almost seven and is still sucking her thumb.

She started doing it in hospital as a new-born baby. I had tried to give her a dummy but she never took to it.

Years later at about two or three, I asked my health visitor, she told me it was fine and that DD would stop by herself!

However, so far she has not!

It is effecting her teeth, as the dentist said it might.

I have tried everything! Horrid tasting nail polish designed to make adults stop biting their nails, threats of punishment, offers of reward, showing her pictures of buck-teeth on the Internet and even trying to get her to say how she will stop!

Although she says she wants to stop she just seems unable to.

If you can suggest anything helpful, please do.

Many thanks.

I am intrigued by that point of view, Soupy - and can't quite believe it because I had more teeth removed from my top jaw, not my bottom - I have big teeth and small jaws. But hey - who knows?
Both my parents had the same problem (and needed teeth removed) without ever being thumbsuckers, and my bro and sis both needed braces (train tracks) when my bro NEVER sucked his thumb (and wasn't prone to long periods of open-mouthedness either! )

I only had a wire round one tooth (may have mentioned that already). And I had all my wisdom teeth (until one broke a couple of years ago and had to be pulled), which caused a bit more crowding at the front of my lower jaw but not too bad - at least I had space for them. :)

Oh, as I said, I have no idea whether it is 100% proven fact :) I was the only (or rather the longest) thumbsucker in our family and thought I had escaped unscathed, being the only one who needed no braces.

The orthodontists are like a double act when they get going. Fabulous! :o

You can't make them, they have to want to.

Dd2 only stopped sucking her thumb, aged 11, when told by the orthodontist she'd be having a brace fitted.

She stopped pretty much overnight.

Tonight I have tried the sock. Dd rather liked that. I'm hoping she doesn't a) take it off in the night or b) suck the sock -both of which she did with bandages (grrr).

Scare stories of braces don't work with dd - she actually WANTS braces, preferably pink ones with diamante. She also wants glasses (!)

Having now googled a bit more I'm guessing that as dd has 6mm+ overbite now she would be eligible for NHS treatment, plus the speech issue is something that would (imo) definitely qualify her for NHS. So I'm going to absolutely bludy well insist ask for an orthodontist evaluation on the NHS.

Yes, I am fretting fo dd but I'm keeping it in perspective - it's just a teeth issue therefore it can be fixed.

I've shown DD all the pictures of Ugly Teeth on the walls of the orthodontist. All to no avail. She just says "remind me which number teeth I'll have, mummy?" FFS.

Good luck with the sock :)

I fret about this now... DS (2.9) still has a dummy- purely because the second we remove it a finger or thumb goes in! He sucks everything he can- even the side of his dumptruck one day when we wouldn't give him a dummy until he was physically in bed
How do you prevent someone becoming a thumbsucker? He obviously needs to suck.

it depends on the duration of the habit, the force used, and the position of the hand

u need around 6 hrs out of 24hrs of force to cause tooth movement so if the habit is continued for more than 6 hrs it will affect the teeth

the position of the hand is important, if the hand is resting on the lower jaw it will cause the jaw to rotate downwards and the lower teeth to tip inwards. and if the thumb is pushed against the palate and the tongue displaced it will cause the upper jaw to be narrow and v shaped

and of course the more vigorous the child sucks the thumb the more the damage.

i think the tips for stopping are explained by other posters.

and about the thumb sucking in the womb its very important. it develops the suckling reflex of the new born.

best of luck its a very difficult habit to break before the damage is done

DD is 12 and is sitting on the sofa, sucking her thumb.

Her teeth are straighter than DS's. He has never ever sucked his thumb.

But he still has a smelly cloth. He is 11.

I don't know which is worse.

Vanfurgston - that is exactly what dd has done. I wonder if the hand resting on the side of the lower jaw has caused the crossbite? At least I think the correct name is cross bite - lower jaw sits slightly to the left so molars don't bite directly on top of eachother, noticible when she smiles.

The narrow v-shaped jaw: yes, quite pronounced. Her father had a similar jaw shape. He did not suck his thumb but did have to have years of corrective work due to overcrowding. Dd has inherited this jaw shape and exaggerated it with thumb sucking.

Today made an private appointment with a highly recommended dentist for an evaluation. The ball is rolling.

(and the sock seems to be working)

best of luck kissingfrogs. many of my cousins have had ortho treatment due to thumb sucking

many things come into play in shaping our facial skeleton. genetics is always a very major factor

Hi - for anyone that is still looking, here are some handmade thumb covers which as other Mum's have said - if you child wants to stop this will help them remember! www.lottiebee.co.uk/cottonthumb.html - They are £10 plus postage.

Recently i came across cotton fabric thumbguard from India...very reasonable cost and effective at lease in daughter's case..u can try it if u want to...can find it on olx/quikr with thumbguard brand name