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Finger sucking

3 replies

mayday47 · 27/07/2017 10:29

Help my dd is 9 and I'm at my wits end with her finger sucking. I can see it is starting to affect her teeth, and her dentist has said as much. But she seems completely unable to stop. I am constantly reminding her, sometimes gently, but often times now very grumpily. We have tried stop n grow, wearing a glove, giving her something else to put in her left hand, but if anything the problem seems to be getting worse rather than better. ANY suggestions/advice and experience really really welcome. I'm thinking the summer hols may be a good time to try and sort, I would love her to start year 5 without her fingers stuffed in her face!! Thanks

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Iloveyogurt · 28/07/2017 13:38

We stopped our 3 year old by sewing socks into her pyjamas top and getting good her to wear gloves in the day. Then a sticker on a chart for every day that there was no finger sucking coupled with a big prize at the end (about a month)

Didiplanthis · 28/07/2017 21:41

My nearly 8 yr old dd is the same. I'm getting desperate ! Tried everything. All the thumb sucking devices, paint, gloves etc. I did notice today she stopped when fiddling with the batteries in the remote control so tomorrow I am out to buy her a fidget cube !! Will post again if it works !

Tessa84 · 29/07/2017 16:38

Hi!

I'm not a mum yet.. expecting in September.. but I'm an ex-thumb-sucker :) and I wasn't able to stop it until I was 9-10! But I can assure you that I'm a well adjusted adult!

My personal advice is stay away from punishing or shaming, and only introduce measures like gloves or bad tasting nail polish if she asks you for help because she wants to stop the habit.

It will be very hard if she isn't there yet emotionally and it won't do her any good for her self esteem if she feels your disapproval.

Thumb sucking is a self soothing mechanism which now is a strong habit for her and something she feels she needs.

It could help you and her to realise when she is doing it. Is it to sleep, when she is anxious, bored.. ? And discuss it with her. Maybe change some things in her routine in which ever situation that is promoting the need for sucking.

Anyway.. this is just my personal opinion based on my own experience. I'm no psychologist!!!

Good luck!

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