Simple Steps to Discourage Thumb Sucking in School-Aged Children

If your child is still sucking their thumb once they’ve entered elementary school, you may be feeling frustrated. You may want to help them break the habit because of issues with their permanent teeth, teasing, or worry about germs. Whatever the reason behind the scenes, thumb-sucking is a hard habit to break. What can you do to stop thumb-sucking in a school-aged child?

Offer reminders, not nagging or threats.

As any mom will tell you, there’s a fine line between reminding and nagging your child. Keep reminders short and sweet. “Samantha, thumb,” usually works better for me with my oldest daughter than something like, “Samantha, what did we talk about? If you can’t stop sucking your thumb you’re going to lose TV for the rest of the night.” Thumb-sucking is a habit, and punishing your child when she may not realize she’s doing it is unlikely to be effective.

Don’t call your child out in front of their friends or classmates.

This method is unlikely to be effective. Instead, it will be embarrassing and may prove to make a bigger deal out of the issue than is necessary. My firsthand experience with thumb suckers has been that they typically reserve that behavior for home, anyway.

Lay the cards on the table.

The benefit of your child’s age is that he or she is going to be able to discuss the situation with you. Talk to them about how sucking their thumb can damage their teeth. Remind them that germs are spread by touching things and putting our hands in our mouths. Tell them your concerns about their thumb sucking. It may help.

Try something positive.

Try something positive to encourage your son or daughter to stop sucking his or her thumb. Chewing gum while you’re watching a movie may keep them their mind off of sticking a thumb in the mouth. Nail polish could discourage thumb sucking for little girls. A bracelet on the wrist that dangles and reminds them not to suck as they raise their thumb could work, too. Try to be creative and think fun, instead of punishment.

Consider the last resorts.

When all else has failed and thumb-sucking has gotten out of control, you may need to consider more drastic options. There are devices that you can attach to the thumb and hand and prevent children from sucking their thumbs. Some parents have tried dabbing hot sauce on the thumb as a deterrent. Your pediatrician may have other suggestions.

Be patient.

Even if thumb sucking continues until the school years, there’s still a chance that your son or daughter will grow out of it. Try not to lose too much sleep over it.

Have you had success at discouraging thumb sucking? What worked for you and your child?


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