February 11, 2022

When Does Thumb Sucking Turn Into An Issue?

Many children stop sucking their thumbs before entering preschool, but for those who persist, intervention may be essential.

A natural response that calms, soothes, and lulls an infant or toddler to sleep is thumb sucking. Fetuses suck their thumbs even in the pregnancy to get ready to breastfeed. As they get older and more capable of processing their feelings, most children cease the habit on their own. However, some children’s demand to be soothed is unmet, and they continue to suck their thumbs or pacifiers.

By the time your child is two to four years old, most pediatricians and dentists recommend that they cease sucking their thumbs or using a pacifier. Thumb sucking is normally not a cause for concern, but if the habit persists or becomes a frequent or vigorous habit, professional help may be required.

Can Thumb Sucking Harm Your Health?

There is a tiny overlap between the front top and bottom teeth in a healthy bite. Thumb sucking or prolonged use of a pacifier may prevent these teeth from fully erupting or cause them to protrude, resulting in an open bite, which is a space between the top and bottom teeth even when the mouth is closed. Speech impairments, language delays, and chewing difficulties can all be caused by an open bite.

If the habit isn’t broken soon enough, orthodontics or other dental therapy may be required to rectify any problems that occur.

Assist Your Child

The best method is to disregard the conduct the majority of the time. If your child is older than four years old and showing signs of a shifting bite or compulsive behavior, you should bring it up at your child’s next appointment. Here are some ideas for how you may help your youngster break the habit at home:

When your child does not suck their thumb or pacifier, praise them.

If your youngster sucks their thumb when they’re frightened or unhappy, talk to them and ask them why they’re worried or upset.

When your child has gone a certain amount of time without sucking their thumb or pacifier, give them a tiny award.

Make it into a game! Make a chart for your child and use a gold star to mark each day so they can see their development as a motivator.

Professional aid is sometimes required to end the thumb-sucking loop, despite your best efforts. There are bitter-tasting ointments and habit-breaking devices on the market, and in the most serious situations, a visit to a therapist or psychologist may be necessary.

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