Could thumb-sucking be making DD1 constantly ill? (NOT the place to debate about dummies etc...)!

[PurpleLostPrincess]

I know this topic has been discussed over and over and for the record, I much prefer dummies - DS had a dummy and gave it to father christmas aged 2.5 and I practically forced DD2 to have a dummy which she did,but then she rejected it when her teeth came through (phew!). So, I'm not here to ask about what is better and discuss the pro's and cons...

What I'm here to ask is whether or not prolonged thumb-sucking can make a child constantly ill? She was very sickly as a small child - she even got whooping cough after having the immunisation which prompted the doctors to check her immune system, but all tests came back clear. When she was tiny she got quite a few ear infections/chest infections but no more than usual. She stopped being constantly ill when she started school and just had the general illnesses that were going around when everybody else got them (coughs, colds, bugs etc).

Family members constantly tell her to stop sucking her thumb and I personally think it makes her do it more! Her teeth are ruined and she doesn't have a proper bite but thats a whole other subject (as mentioned above!).

Anyway, since Christmas, she has had one bug after the other, a severe virus that lasted for about 3 weeks and most recently a terrible cough that has developed into an ear infection and we took a trip to the emergency doctors this morning for treatment. She's currently upstairs in bed having a sleep. I'm beginning to wonder if she'll ever get 'better', she's reasonably active (loves the trampoline) and loves healthy food as well as pizza lol! She's had lots of time off ill this term which is starting to worry me.

DS (14) suggested this morning that she's always ill because she sucks her thumb but I wondered if it would actually build up her immunities more than anything!? Either way, I'd love your opinions. Again - I'm not here to get slated about allowing her to suck her thumb, I'm here for helpful advice and value any stories that might help...

Thanks in advance

PLP

Oh, by the way, she's 10 years old...

I only have anecdotal evidence, but DS (5) and DD (3) both suck their thumbs and seem to get fewer things than many children I know.

Thanks, that supports my theory at least

Anybody else?

PLP

My dsis sucked her thumb from the time she was born and I do not remember her being any more sickly than any other child. In fact, I was (and still am) more prone to stomach upsets than she is . I certainly do not remember her having numerous illnesses/courses of antibiotics (and I am sure it would have come up since ds was born if she had).

As for the thumb sucking itself, she used to suck most when she had her blankie, she chose to give up her blankie to help her break the habit (she was 10 or 11 I think) and it helped, she does still thumb suck (and is now in her 20's!) but nowhere near as much as she used to.

Thank you This all makes sense to me and is helping...

Having thought about it, we've had issues with cleanliness in the past but she's got much better at having baths/showers etc. I'm wondering if she should be simply washing her hands more often - can't hurt to see if it helps I guess!

I guess it would be nice to hear from people who just have sickly children or that its normal for kids to keep getting ill? Or is it!? Some rl people say their kids have been going through it too and catching everything thats going around - whereas my dear mum is convinced there's something 'really wrong' with her. I'm now wondering if I should have words with the GP to see if she should be tested or should I give myself a kick up the arse and CHILLAX about it all, aaarrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!

DS1 (10) sucked his thumb a lot and he was (is) as healthy as a horse.

Only having expensive private orthodontic treatment has stopped him doing it 2 years ago mind you.

Dd sucked fingers and was always ill. I just don't think there's a connection at all.

DD (3) started sucking her thumb 7 months ago and (oddly enough) was at the emergency docs yesterday with a chest/ear infection. I don't think it has anything to do with her thumb though

However, could it be that telling her it contributes to poor health give her the impetus to stop?

Now, let's be logical...

You say "She stopped being constantly ill when she started school and just had the general illnesses that were going around when everybody else got them (coughs, colds, bugs etc)." and it's only since Christmas that she's had one thing after another... I presume she hasn't only started thumb sucking recently? If she's been thumb sucking all the time she's been only getting run of the mill stuff, it can't be that causing her recent poor health.

It's far more likely that the stuff she's had since Christmas have lowered her immune system leaving her open to everything that's going. Give her immune boosting vitamins etc and see how she goes.

SoupDragon, you are soooo reassuring!!! (and so is everybody else of course!). Yes, she's always been sucking her thumb. Hope your DD improves soon xx

Come to think of it, I started sprinkling ecchinacea on her coco pops just before she started school so it could have been that that helped! I'm off to buy some ecchinacea tomorrow and like you say, some vitamins etc. I did buy some tonic but everybody in the house keeps laughing at me, saying I just want to be Mary Poppins lol! (do you think it would change colour each time? It just might!!!). I'm not exactly the most 'logical' of people at the best of times so you've helped me get it back into perspective, yay!

MN is the most fantastic place in the world for advice - can't thank you enough

DS1 never sucked anything, if any of mine get ill its him. DS2 is a finger sucker and very rarely ill.