My DS has started thumb sucking - should I be worried?

[TheABC]

My 4 month old baby boy has started to suck his thumb after repeated refusing dummies. Should I be worried? Is there a way I can persuade him to use a dummy, or substitute it with a cloth toy (he likes fabric)? All advice welcome!

I know many people are happy to let their LO suck fingers but I was keen to avoid it at all cost. I confess that I am an almost 40 year old thumb sucker, and I didn't want DS to become one as well!

He started to show an interest in his thumb when he was about 3 months. I would offer a dummy and/or my breast instead. He never really took to the dummy and eventually lost interest in his thumb.

If it was me I'd be delighted! It's great when they learn to self-soothe. There's never any question of losing a thumb like dummies get lost, and the supposed impact on teeth is massively overstated (usually by dentists, for obvious reasons!). DD sucked hers from about 9 months and still does to go to sleep - zero impact on her teeth (she's coming up for 5). DH still sucks his and he's about to be 36. I've never had a problem with it - I know some adult thumbsuckers are embarrassed by it but I don't know why!

Thanks, ladies. I will keep him on the boob and hope for the best!

I was pleased when ds2 started doing it at about the same age, great to self settle and I much prefer it to a dummy. He's now 18mths and generally only sucks his thumb when he's going to sleep or when he has his favourite cuddly toy.

I did ask our dentist about it and he said it really wasn't a concern especially at under a year old.

My mum's speech and language therapist says better the thumb than the dummy. Mine has both!

My son, nearly 3 years, has sucked his thumb chronically since 4 months old. Hasn't hindered his speech at all and he is quite chatty, pmays happily without sucking thumb, but going to sleep and any quiet time, there's the thumb.

At his most recent dental nurse visit, she said it was causing quite bad protruding teeth. She said us some children there will be permanent damage (ie to shape of jaw development etc) but in some children as they grow up their teeth will be fine. So there's no rule that says all thumb suckers will be in orthodontic treatment in the future.

But she did recommend we try to deal with it. At under 3, she thought too young for rewards etc as the urge to suck is too strong to outweigh rewards. Thumbguard product was recommended - it looks horrendous and trying to strap a child into it can't be easy, and it us expensive (not as expensive as braces!).

So, while I was pleased when he was younger that DS had a means of self soothing , I am not so thrilled now.

Hopefully yours grows out of it sooner than mine has! And giving up a dummy is evidently no picnic. No advice really, maybe as yours gets to 12 months try more distraction or get advice then about discouraging the habit?

Just by the by, DS2 had a really bad tongue tie when he was born and the lactation consultant said that quite often problems with teeth and jaw development are mistakenly put down to thumbsucking when it's actually undiagnosed tongue-tie. If the tongue is rooted to the floor of the mouth too far forward they can still talk, eat etc without problemsn but as the jaw grows the tie 'pulls'. Just a thought.

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