Finger Sucking

[drtachyon]

DS (now almost 12 months) has been in the habit of sucking the first two fingers on his right hand since he was about 3 months. It's his favourite self-soothing trick.

Initially, this wasn't a problem, but recently, I've noticed that the skin on these two fingers is starting to get dry and is peeling. I'm pretty sure that this is related to the finger sucking, as all of his other fingers are fine.

It's not bothering him at the moment, but I'm worried that it'll get worse. I think dry skin cream might help, but I'm concerned that he'd just suck it off his fingers and make himself ill by eating the dry skin cream.

Does anyone have any tips?

Thanks

no tips as such...my dd1 used to suck her thumb ALL the time but she has grown out of it a bit (now 3) and only sucks it in bed / when tired. if its not hurting him chances are he'l be ok and just grow out of it!!

Would he take a dummy instead?

It doesn't seem to be hurting him at the minute (he's sucking his fingers in his sleep as I type), and I hope he will grow out of it. That'll probably not be for a while though!

We've never tried him with a dummy (largely due to issues my sister had with them), so I don't know how he'd take to them.

But it might distract him from his fingers. And is something I'd not thought about before!

Only suggesting as I was a finger sucker as a baby and didnt grow out of it until I was seven (after years of being told off for it). Had I had a dummy, it could have been taken away.

Wgen my dsis was born (again when I was seven) she sucked her fingers on day one. My parents immediatly bought a dummy, not wanting to have to go through the finger thing again.

Dsis (and what I do with dd) - dummy for naps, sleeps and unhapiness and aged two - taken away. Firm, but a damn sight easier than trying to break the habit of putting hand to mouth.

Dd does this, 16mo now and sometimes raises small blisters but it doesn't seem to put her off. She has never taken a dummy and I've stopped trying now. She also likes to have someone else's such the fingers on her other hand if she's being cuddled and will repeatedly try to force them in my mouth. We don't let her but it doesn't stop her trying.

I guess she'll grow out of it but if she gets to about 3 I'm going to try that bitter tasting nail varnish that discourages nail biting.

bitter tasting nail varnish has not much effect on my dd not sure if their taste buds have fully developed??

Most babies adopt a 'comfort item' like a blanky or a special toy at some point in their first year (usually around 4-5 months old). If your son has attached to something, you could try to get him to suck on part of that? I only say this because both my DD's LOVE to suck on their blankies when they go to bed.

The only thing DS seems particularly attached to (in a comfort item kind of way) is his fingers

The only toys he's particularly fond of are ones with wheels, and he doesn't have a 'special' car or truck either.

Which is a shame, because otherwise Kiwiinkits suggestion would be fantastic. On the bright side, his peeling fingers seem to have improved all by themselves

I too sucked my fingers until 7-8. That bitter stuff didn't stop me.

DD started sucking hers so she has a dummy now.

I gave my finger sucker a dummy too, around 12 months old, she still has the dummy at 6 but think she will bin it soon.

If you take away the dummy she just sucks her thumb

Dummy has only ever been for bedtime