How do you get a six year to stop sucking her thumb?

Becky - posted on 07/02/2012

My daughter is now entering Grade 1 and still sucks her thumb all the time. I have tried everything from rationalizing to icky stuff on the thumb to out right getting frustrated with it. It is a habit and she refuses to try to break it and I fear her being made fun of in school about it, her teeth becoming bad and her beautiful face being wrecked by a bad pair of teeth. If anyone knows a cure, I am listening, but as far as I know, there is no sure way known cure and they will stop when they are ready.

Jennifer - posted on 09/16/2010

They sell some nasty tasting stuff at walmart I think its called biterx maybe my mom did this to me when I was little and I remember it worked because it tasted horrible. Check the nail polish isle that where it used to be.

Jane - posted on 09/09/2010

Try talking to her and letting her know that for one its a "baby" thing and since she is a big girl she shouldn't do it anymore and that it may cause problems later. My niece wore a mouthpiece to stop plus had braces too. At six she is old enough to understand that sucking her thumb may mean many trips to the dentist.

Katherine - posted on 09/09/2010

I know when I was younger I know it might not sound very good but my Mam put sock on my hands to stop me from doing it. Good Luck

Andrea - posted on 08/24/2010

my son sucked his thumb until he was about 9 - he just stopped one day and that was that !! i think going to school and mixing with other kids will help her grow up and realise its a baby thing - i cnat see its a problem - my sons teeth came through fine -

Schmoopy - posted on 08/24/2010

I wouldn't worry about it. She'll stop on her own eventually. I sucked my thumb until I was 7 years old. And even then, I only did it when nobody else could see me b/c I became embarrassed at that age.



BTW, that thumb stuff didn't work for me, nor did bandaids, tabasco, etc. It's kinda like substance abuse - I had to want to help myself, LOL!

Jami - posted on 08/23/2010

I'm trying to get my 8 year old son to stop sucking his thumb. He never does it at school or around friends, but at home when he's tired or when he goes to bed, in goes the thumb. We tried making deals...if you keep your thumb out, you can do this....but they didn't work. I tried putting bandaids on, but he just took them off. He said they were annoying and he couldn't bend his thumb. Now we have Thum, that yucky tasting stuff you 'paint' on their thumb. We haven't used it very long, but sometimes he just goes and washes his hands to get it off. I'll be following this to see if anyone comes up with a really good way...

Susan - posted on 08/22/2010

Good luck with that. My daughter is now 24 and sucked her thumb. I tried everything. I even went to the orthodontist and had a thumb sucking piece put in her mouth, It is supposed to poke thier thumb and make it uncomfortable for them to suck. It works with some children. Not mine. I tried hot sauce, socks, duct tape, and a dozen other things and none worked. She finally had to have braces and head gear for 16 hrs a day in the 3rd grade before she quit. She has had to have two oral and maxlofacial surgeries and braces on and off for 10 yrs. She will have to have another surgery to replace her sockets in a few years. Sucking her thumb gave her TMJ. So I would suggest that you try the ortho and see what they can do. It is a hard habit to break. My son (23) also sucked his thumb and didn't stop until he was 8 but had no problems. It just depends if they suck forward or backwards. I pray all will work out for you

Chef Beth - posted on 08/21/2010

Have you tried putting something yucky tasting on her thumb at bed time? Not knowing what you've tried I hate to repeat. Good luck with this. All habits are hard to break! I know one mom who made a BIG thumb cast out of cotton wrapped in medical tape. It slipped on & off & was to big to fit in the child's mouth. If she wants to stop, this should work. If she doesn't want to stop she would just pull it off & plan B would have to take over.