3 month old thumb sucker has a sore!

[lola1980]

My DD is a serious thumb sucker, it's hardly ever out of her mouth. But yesterday I noticed that at the base of her thumb, in the crease, is a kind of sore. The skin is white and coming off, presumably because it's always wet. Any advice on what to do about it?

I'm reluctant to try and get her to stop sucking her thumb because I don't want to use a dummy, and if I'm honest it's been a bloody godsend!

I would always prefer a dummy to a thumb

Thumb sucking is alot harder to break than giving up dummies.

As the saying goes.. You can take away a dummy, but you cant take away a thumb.

Well yes that's true but it's happened now... It comforts her loads and I don't want to upset her by trying to stop her, especially at the moment with teething and a growth spurt at the same time!

What i meant was that you could replace the thumb with a dummy.

Her thumb will get very sore, and the nail will be very weak and brittle as time goes on.

A dummy is the only way to stop the thumb becoming any worse

It might be better to replace with a dummy. I also didn't want to give dd a dummy and she found her thumb. She is nearly 3 now and the dentist has advised we get her to stop sucking her thumb as her teeth are being pushed forward. It would be much easier to get rid of a dummy than a thumb now so I wish we'd given a dummy.

In answer to your question- my dd had this as well- she also got a blister on her lip due to sucking. We put lansinoh on it and it worked well. The skin soon toughens up.

Defiantly replace with w dummy. My ds was a toe sucker, toe got infected and he had to have antibiotics. My friend's dd got a really badly infected thumb from sucking it. She was in really bad pain, she ended up in a+e and her nail came off.

Yes it might be easier now but if it's already showing signs of infection the kind thing to do is to give her a dummy.

Rub a bit of nipple cream on it. It works wonders and is safe if she sucks it afterwards.

It sounds like a blister and is not necessary infected. I wouldn't worry too much just keep an eye on it for it getting inflamed. No need to use a dummy if you don't want to or need to. My daughter is nearly 5 months and found her thumb early on too, she has had blisters on it from her enthusiastic sucking. I put lanisoh on it and it cleared up beautifully and no problems since.

Don't worry - it will harden up soon enough, and a bit of Lansinoh will help. DD also developed a sore thumb but it was fine.

I really don't understand the preference for dummies over thumbs. What's wrong with continuing to suck a thumb? I know plenty of adult thumbsuckers who are ashamed of themselves for no reason - it's an entirely harmless habit. Dentists are usually the worst offenders for complaining about thumbsucking when in fact a tiny minority of people need remedial treatment. Also, let's not forget that dentists are the ones with a vested interest in telling parents that their children's mouths are going wrong... A thumb is perfectly shaped to fit in the palate of the mouth and it's the perfect self-soothing mechanism.

lovely, your dentist should not be telling you that about your 2yo when he has no idea what shape her mouth will be a few years down the line.

lola let your DD have her thumb and be happy!

Thanks Zuleika! I totally understand people thinking a dummy is better, as you can take it away then the habit is finished. However I don't want to be woken up ten times a night when the bloody thing has fallen out and she needs me to get it for her. Then neither of us get a good night's sleep! She looks so canny when she does it as well, and so peaceful

agree with numptynu - that's what I did