Did you know that some babies suck on their fingers in the womb? It’s true. The habit can form before a baby is even born! However, there’s no particular age when infants suddenly decide to take on thumb-sucking. Babies suck their thumbs because it’s comforting and calming. They may turn to their thumbs whenever they are tired, scared, bored, sick, or trying to adjust to any new challenges. They may also use their thumb to help them to fall asleep at bedtime and to lull themselves back to sleep on waking up in middle of the night.

The American Dental Association says most children can safely suck their thumb – without damaging the alignment of their teeth or jaws – until their permanent teeth begin to appear. (Permanent teeth don’t usually start to erupt until around age 6). Also, not all thumb-sucking is equally damaging. Experts say it’s the intensity of the sucking and the tongue’s thrust that deforms teeth and makes braces necessary later. Children who rest their thumb passively in their mouth are less likely to have dental problems than children who suck aggressively.

While every child is different, the American Dental Association (ADA) reports the age children often drop the habit (if not earlier) is between 2 and 4. Thumb sucking beyond this stage can cause a number of problems including changing the normal growth of the jaw and adult teeth alignment, which in turn can affect the overall shape of their face and even influence speech.

It is important to remember, like any habit, thumb sucking can take some time to overcome. Here are some tips to help out parents.

1. Encourage – Start by encouraging your child to stop thumb sucking with lots of praise and support. Explain to them, in ways they can understand, the reasons why they need to stop and perhaps even introduce a rewards chart system as an extra incentive.
2. No Punishment – Persistent thumb sucking usually occurs because your child finds it comforting, which means nagging, criticising and giving out punishments will likely only cause distress and could make the habit worse.
3. Distractions – Try offering an alternate source of comfort such as a favorite toy. This can be offered as a distraction from thumb sucking at times when you have noticed the habit happens the most.
4. Be patient and persistent – The first few days will likely be the worst and just when you think you have their thumb sucking habit kicked, don’t be surprised if they relapse to their thumb sucking ways. Be patient and persistent and eventually you will find a way to overcome this hurdle.
5. Get help – If you have tried everything and the thumb sucking continues, it could be time to get some expert help.

Image Source – Dr. Smilez Group of Dental Centers