thumb-sucking 8 year old...

[geekgirl]

Dd1 still sucks her thumb most avidly - we have been trying to break the habit for years now, with plasters, bitter stuff, nagging etc., and on occasion she has stopped for a month or so, only to start again . Am now considering buying a thumb guard - but find the price (£55 incl. delivery) just such a total rip-off, I'm not sure I can stomach it.

Any other good ideas for the hardcore sucker? She does it all the bloody time - even at school. The dentist said it will really mess up her teeth. She would like to stop but reckons she 'can't'

I stopped at 16, the dentist told me at 14 it would mess up my teeth and I would need a brace if I didn't stop - I didn't got to the dentist again until I was 30.
tbh I don't think you can make kids stop - although you can obviously encourage.

I sucked my thumb from a young age and had a brace around 15. Finally stopped sucking it at 23 and my teeth are okay. DS1 sucks his and he is 6. I think it is because he didn't have a dummy until 7 months for a couple of weeks. Other 2 kids had a dummy from young to 6 months and neither sucks their thumbs.

Nothing you do will make her stop if it's something that she finds really comforting. And her teeth may well be absolutely fine. I'm 32, I've always sucked my thumb and my teeth are fine. People were always trying to get me to stop and I just found it VERY annoying! They were wasting their time. Peer pressure eventually put a stop to it at school, and now it's just a night time comforting thing.

thanks for the reassurance - the dentist was really adamant about it affecting the shape of her jaw and thus her face - I suppose that has got me quite worried. She looks fine imo and her teeth seem straight to me.

she didn't start thumbsucking until she was 3.5 years old - was bf until then but had always been a very sucky and touchy-feely baby/toddler.

Hurray celery: me too!! I'm 33! But don't worry geekgirl, I'm sure your dd won't do it until until she's as old as me!! And if she does, it's not the end of the world.

I have to admit though, I think it does mess your teeth up: I've got a quite an overbite, and should have had braces I think.

My 8 year old still sucks her thumb like a big baby all the time. I reckon you can't make 'em stop till they want to.