Sucking fingers

[sykes]

My dd1, aged four and a half, has sucked her fingers since she was a baby. She mainly does it when tired, upset or poorly and also does it in her sleep. They look painfully red and sore sometimes. Her younger sister at the age of two is now starting to copy her which is really annoying an irritates her ezcma. Any advice on how to stop her sucking. I must admit, apart from the fact it looks sore, the main problem is me - it really bugs me and am sure it can't be good for her teeth, although the dentist hasn't mentioned it. She will stop when I ask her, usually, but she obviously finds it of comfort so not quite sure what to do. It's not a constant.

Can't really add anything to help I'm afraid, as dd is 15 months, but she is also a finger sucker - as you say, when tired/upset etc. Not been too concerned about it so far, but hadn't ever thought of it lasting until 4! Someone once said that sucking thumbs would be worse for teeth, as the thumb pushes up against the roof of the mouth, but no idea if that is tue.

Thanks, Crumpet, I didn't think it would last this long either - ah, well.

4.5 sucks thumb and finger, 18 month sucks finger. I'm glad they do - as it has been a godsend at times.

Don't worry about, she'll grow out of it I'm sure!

My three are/were all suckers of thumb or finf=gers. Eldest only stopped when he was about 10 I'm afraid. But I also found it a godsend when they were little as they could get themselves to sleep. Occasionally they did have sore fingers bu it didnt seem to last. The dentist wehn asked said it ws probably better not to but didnt seem too concerned and their teeth are all fine. (btw I sucked my thumb till 10 or so and so did my Mum; genetic?)

I'd try not to worry about it if I were you. Dd's been sucking her fingers on and off for AGES. She's 18 months and hers also get very red looking and it occasionally bugs me but she seems to like it and seeing as I sucked my thumb til I was 6 and can vaguely remember how comforting it was, I don't feel I have a right to criticise her!

I sucked my fingers till the grand old age of 11 and my dad sucked his thumb till he was 13. My friend still sucks her thumb if ahe is tired and she is 31!!!! My mum tried putting mustard on my fingers, I just sucked it off. She will grow out of it as an ex sucker there is nothing you could do to stop it. It is her comfort when she is tired or upset, it was for me too. I never had to wear a brace and my dentist always comments on how good my teeth look, although you could ask his/her advice on your dd teeth.

My ds is nearly 19 months and has always sucked his finger and occasionally stuffs as much of his hand as possible into his mouth (for an extra treat ). I don't worry about it - he's never wanted a dummy & I'm sure finger-sucking is a comforting alternative - but I do try to gently discourage him verbally and by taking his hand away. Is it really bad for teeth? Mine grinds his - I'm sure that's not good! Sykes, have you tried cotton gloves/mittens, sewn into sleeves, for nighttime? If you can break the night habit, that's a major battle won.

I am still a thumb sucker at age 29!! My dd is 14 months and sucks both her thumbs avidly - they both have little dry patches like callouses... My dh says she does it from watching my example but my ds (age 3) has never sucked his! The dentist mentioned it last month when he saw her for the first time as she was sucking her thumb at the time. He said it wasn't a problem at the moment but at the age of about 6 they would like to hope it has reduced to 2hrs tops a day as any more than that could shape the teeth irrevocably (I think he said it would create an overbite which apparently would be hard to fix).
However, my own teeth seem fine to me although the two front bottom ones do lean back ever so slightly...
She gets so much comfort from it that I do not intend to discourage her at all unless the dentist has serious concerns with it. She's such a contented baby - has slept through the night since she was 8 weeks old. I put this down to the thumb!
My sister sucked two of her fingers till she was about 9 or 10 and then it just tailed off naturally.
I have to say I do love my thumb!!

Hi, my daughter (4 next week) sucks her finger and has done since she was a baby. Our dentist isn't concerned as said would cause more harm at this stage to force her to stop. He also has a daughter who sucks her thumb! My health visitor advised distracting her and getting her to use her hands at times when she started to suck finger - although this wouldn't work at night! My son (6) had a dummy - disadvantage fell out at night and we'd have to put back in, advantage - I took it away when he was two and he's never needed a comforter to help sleep etc.

My ds1 still sucks her finger when tired, she is 19! and my sil does the sam at 41!!!
I think it was our fault with ds by taking dummy away too soon as we decided a dummy wasn't the done thing!

Thanks - she's never had a dummy - just found her fingers when she was tiny. I'll stop worrying and ignore it.