Thumb sucking is one of the first coordinated acts by a baby for comfort and pleasure.
Parents usually start to worry too early about how to stop this habit of their children.
It is not necessary to stop this problem before the age of four unless parents notice a problem in their teeth due to vigorous thumb sucking.
Why Thumb sucking becomes a problem:- 1.
Thumb sucking causes serious problems if it continues long after the eruption of permanent teeth.
The problem gets more serious if continues after the age of four and five.
2.
Prolonged finger and thumb sucking can create crowded crooked teeth or bite problems.
3.
A child may also develop speech problems or problems with swallowing properly.
4.
Malformation of teeth can affect child's appearance and cause further emotional problems.
Most children outgrow this behavior by their pre-school years until that point when it is relatively harmless.
The best way to get your child to stop sucking his/her thumb is to find ways to help him do it.
Do's 1.
Talk bout the bad germs that are on our hands and how the child puts them in his mouth while indulging in thumb sucking.
2.
Carefully remove your child's thumb from his mouth during sleep 3.
Give your child extra attention and observe if conflicts or anxiety provoke thumb sucking.
If so help him find more healthy ways to deal with the stress.
4.
Reward your child for progress made towards his goal.
5.
Paint something that taste bad on his thumb, like vinegar or pickle juice.
6.
Distract your child when you see him putting his thumb in his mouth.
if you engage him in an activity that requires both hands, he will have to take his thumbs out of his mouth to do the task.
Keep the child's hand busy with toy, puzzle or some other interesting activity.
Don't's 1.
Avoid putting your child down or describing him as being babyish.
2.
Avoid nagging your child or turning this into a powder struggle.
3.
It is not important to get your child to give up this habit if it is not causing any problem.
4.
Never punish or shame your child to resolve the problem.
This type of negative action will hurt his self-esteem and add to his anxiety.
If your Child has not stopped thumb sucking by his third birthday, you should consider taking action to stop this habit.
You should act if he is sucking on his thumb most of the day, If it is affecting his communication or social skills.
However, it is not as important to get your child to give up his habit if it is not causing any problems.