Any night time thumb suckers

Ellie will be 2 in about a month. As soon as she found her hand, she ditched the pacifier and started to suck her thumb. She only sucks it to get to sleep, when she's snuggling, or tired. At the dentist last fall she said that the sooner Ellie stops sucking her thumb the better it will be for her teeth. I know that, but...

How do you get a nighttime thumb sucker to stop? Once she falls asleep or rolls around her thumb isn't in her mouth. She's not really attached to anything else that could replace her thumb. It's not like she's got it in her mouth all day.

Is it too early to put an end to this or any suggestions? It's totally her crutch to get to sleep, just like her sisters have their special blankets. (Ellie didn't get attached to her blankets! Just her thumb!)

 

I would leave it alone. My uncle is a dentist, and he told me that 90% of kids stop thumbsucking by age 5, and as long as they stop before they start loosing teeth, it isn't a problem. Marcus found his thumb in the hospital, and not doesn't suck it at all at night--both of mine pretty much only suck at night, when sick, or overtired. Jon still does suck his to fall asleep sometimes, but I will just pop it out when I go in to check on him.

 

Hmmm, I haven't started worrying about it yet. I'll have to talk to my dentist the next time I go in.

Grace sucks her thumb, just to go to sleep. My brothers both sucked their thumbs for a long, long time and their teeth are okay.

 

My ds turned 6 last november and is still sucking at night We've tried a few things but all it did was upset him and made him think about it even more. I have no clue what we'll do.

 

All 5 of my kids have/are sucking their thumbs and the older ones are fine. The older ones stopped once kindergarten started. I did try a few things but the reality is they love their thumbs. If that is the only thing that they have as their lovey there is not much one can do. Peer pressure will stop them from doing it from my experience. Also, once they start to get a little older you can kind of talk to them and try to explain why it isn't good and come up with some other options also. Honestly, the twins do this and one is worse than the other. FWIW, I will just let it go since I have already been through this and go with the flow.

 

Well, I used the thumb guard with my DD. She was a thumb sucker from the begining and at 3, I bought the thumb guard. We talked about it a lot before we bought it and when it came in I gave it to her and it has different color bands to change daily and she got to pick her color of the day. She was really good about it. THe first nap was hard and she cried a lot and never napped, that night she fell asleep no problem and since then(it takes 2-3 weeks) she has never sucked her thumb again. It did it because I am kind of crazy about germs and I made myself nuts always trying to clean that thumb. I really didnt want her to have to go through kids saying stuff to her at school and her teeth are totally forming different then her sisters...I know, I know....doesnt matter, but it did to me!! It is all taken care of with no trauma. Do what you feel is best for your little one.

Me
DD's 3.6

 

My 8 year old was a thumb sucker until age 3. The dentist at that point told me she needed to stop so we used that nasty tasting stuff that you put on like nail polish. When she would put her thumb in her mouth it would taste really bitter so she would take it out. It was really sad for a couple of nights (I felt so mean) but, you know, she stopped & hasn't sucked her thumb since. Now, I had her at the orthodontist today & they are talking braces, partially for bite issues which she said could be related to thumb sucking, so I don't know, maybe we should have done something sooner. Dentists don't seem to all agree so it's hard to say. Good luck to you! :hug99:

 

QUOTE(tinalb @ Jan 17 2008, 10:58 PM) [snapback]577630[/snapback]
My 8 year old was a thumb sucker until age 3. The dentist at that point told me she needed to stop so we used that nasty tasting stuff that you put on like nail polish. When she would put her thumb in her mouth it would taste really bitter so she would take it out. It was really sad for a couple of nights (I felt so mean) but, you know, she stopped & hasn't sucked her thumb since. Now, I had her at the orthodontist today & they are talking braces, partially for bite issues which she said could be related to thumb sucking, so I don't know, maybe we should have done something sooner. Dentists don't seem to all agree so it's hard to say. Good luck to you! :hug99:


Assuming she had her baby teeth when she stopped and now has her permanent teeth, how could thumb sucking effect her bite? It pushes against the teeth already in existence, not those that come in later.

Also, I don't really see a need to make them stop. Most kids naturally outgrow it before it will effect their teeth. Or, if they haven't, you can help them stop on their own by talking to them about having to get braces and offer solutions like thumb guards or nasty tasting stuff. As for germs...well, I'm just not a germaphobe. We wash our hands after using the restroom and when they are dirty, but I have never been one to carry sanitizers. So many studies have been done that say we are over-sanitizing our kids and destroying their natural immune system. Having contact with a normal amount of everyday germs actually helps us stay healthy.

That said, I have nothing against anyone who does make their kid stop. I understand their reasoning and appreciate that they are just trying to do what is best for their child.

 

I was a thumb sucker as a child, and quit when I hit school. I think the social pressure from peers is enough to stop most kids. Most kids don't like being called a "baby" by others their age or younger. Even if she only sucks her thumb at night, the news will get out to her friends, and they will encourage her to stop.

I wouldn't worry about it until her adult teeth start growing in. BTW, I did need braces, but most people in my family have crooked teeth, so I don't think I can attribute it entirely to thumb-sucking.

One of my girls is addicted to her middle two fingers. We haven't made an issue of it and don't plan to for quite a few years.

 

QUOTE(Stacy A. @ Jan 18 2008, 03:45 PM) [snapback]578069[/snapback]
Assuming she had her baby teeth when she stopped and now has her permanent teeth, how could thumb sucking effect her bite? It pushes against the teeth already in existence, not those that come in later.

Also, I don't really see a need to make them stop. Most kids naturally outgrow it before it will effect their teeth. Or, if they haven't, you can help them stop on their own by talking to them about having to get braces and offer solutions like thumb guards or nasty tasting stuff. As for germs...well, I'm just not a germaphobe. We wash our hands after using the restroom and when they are dirty, but I have never been one to carry sanitizers. So many studies have been done that say we are over-sanitizing our kids and destroying their natural immune system. Having contact with a normal amount of everyday germs actually helps us stay healthy.

That said, I have nothing against anyone who does make their kid stop. I understand their reasoning and appreciate that they are just trying to do what is best for their child.



I didn't "make" her stop sucking her thumb, I simply gave her a tool help her stop. If it didnt work then that was fine. We did talk about it and we showed her the actual guard on the computer, but it is difficult when you are in a deep sleep, tired, etc, and dont realize that your sucking your thumb.

As far as the germs, her sister has been sick half the amount of times and I never use hand santizer on my children. We also wash our hands after the restroom and when they are dirty, but from my experience you get more than the "normal amount of everyday germs".

Sorry for this response but I kind of felt like I was being judged for doing this and that I somehow didnt wash thier hands or used hand sanitzer on my children.

 

QUOTE(PK @ Jan 17 2008, 06:46 PM) [snapback]577370[/snapback]
Well, I used the thumb guard with my DD. She was a thumb sucker from the begining and at 3, I bought the thumb guard. We talked about it a lot before we bought it and when it came in I gave it to her and it has different color bands to change daily and she got to pick her color of the day. She was really good about it. THe first nap was hard and she cried a lot and never napped, that night she fell asleep no problem and since then(it takes 2-3 weeks) she has never sucked her thumb again. It did it because I am kind of crazy about germs and I made myself nuts always trying to clean that thumb. I really didnt want her to have to go through kids saying stuff to her at school and her teeth are totally forming different then her sisters...I know, I know....doesnt matter, but it did to me!! It is all taken care of with no trauma. Do what you feel is best for your little one.

Me
DD's 3.6



QUOTE(PK @ Jan 18 2008, 03:06 PM) [snapback]578600[/snapback]
I didn't "make" her stop sucking her thumb, I simply gave her a tool help her stop. If it didnt work then that was fine. We did talk about it and we showed her the actual guard on the computer, but it is difficult when you are in a deep sleep, tired, etc, and dont realize that your sucking your thumb.

As far as the germs, her sister has been sick half the amount of times and I never use hand santizer on my children. We also wash our hands after the restroom and when they are dirty, but from my experience you get more than the "normal amount of everyday germs".

Sorry for this response but I kind of felt like I was being judged for doing this and that I somehow didnt wash thier hands or used hand sanitzer on my children.



I specifically said that I have nothing against those who decide to "make" (I didn't mean beat it out of them, but that at age 3 it is not really the child's idea) their kids stop. I understand why you would. I was just presenting my ideas on why I won't be doing it until my DD is older and that I will want it to be her decision. I was just trying to offer another perspective.

My comments on how I am not a germaphobe are just my answer to your statement that you are "crazy about germs." I was simply trying to show that I am not crazy about them, so, for us, this isn't a reason to put a stop to the thumb sucking. I never assumed you didn't wash your kids hands, but rather, that you washed at least your DD's quite a bit because you said, "I made myself nuts always trying to clean that thumb." I said that I wash their hands after the potty and when they are dirty to point out that this is the only time I wash them (Oh, and at the petting zoo. Even I get a little grossed out by that). I don't "make myself nuts" about cleaning my DD's thumb or anything. In your post, you were saying that you stopped her from sucking her thumb because of A, B, and C. I was simply doing the same to show why I won't be stopping my DD. Just a different opinion. I wasn't attacking you, just presenting my opinion on the subject.

My question about her teeth forming was honestly made in curiosity. Can thumb sucking before you lose your baby teeth effect your permanent teeth? I didn't think it could. Especially since the pediatric dentist my sister and I went to told our mom that it couldn't and that they didn't need to worry about my sister sucking her thumb. I would assume that it was just the way a child's teeth were forming if they no longer sucked their thumb. Perhaps I'm wrong, though. I was just curious.

Once again, I understand why some people choose to put a stop to thumb sucking. I get it. I don't think there is anything wrong with it. I just don't think there is anything wrong or dangerous (i.e. illness due to more germs) about a child sucking their thumb either. So, I personally will not be stopping my DD. I don't care one way or another what someone else decides to do about thumb sucking (as long as abuse is not involved), but since the poster asked for advise, I thought I would share what we were doing and why.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I am not alone in not wanting to make her stop right now. I appreciate everyone sharing their opinions!

 

QUOTE(Stacy A. @ Jan 18 2008, 07:45 AM) [snapback]578069[/snapback]
Assuming she had her baby teeth when she stopped and now has her permanent teeth, how could thumb sucking effect her bite? It pushes against the teeth already in existence, not those that come in later.


Evidently, from what I have been told, it isn't necessarily the teeth that are affected but the upper palate (from the thumb pushing on it all the time) which then affects her bite, which is her problem. She doesn't have issues with her teeth being crooked but with her bite being off & they say it can be related to years of thumb sucking. I don't really know, this is what I have been told by the dentist & the orthodontist, I just have to listen & assume they know better than me since it is what they are trained to do.

As for outgrowing it, some kids don't. My 8 year old has a friend whose mom tells me she still sucks her thumb at night, she is really wishing right now she would have tried to stop her when she was younger.