Hello!

She is a notorious thumb sucker and I need ideas on how to help her stop. We tried transitioning to a dummy when she was an infant and numerous times since without any luck. Any ideas would be great.


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  • I’d love to know how things went and what worked.


  • There is a specific nail polish that is non toxic and tastes terrible ;)


  • No matter what you do, whether it is putting something yucky on her thumb or giving her a substitute like a dummy she’s soothing herself. It might be more acceptable to give her a blanket or soft toy, because it is more acceptable (especially for her teeth) but you might want to ask yourself why she is self soothing … Especially if it is all the time. Is she shy, anxious or feeling unsafe? It may be that by addressing the why you might be able to reduce the frequency of the thumb sucking.


  • Try and find something else to comfort her, good luck :)


  • No immediate solution since a child normally stop doing it when they go to pre-school etc after watching what are acceptable and not acceptable from other kids.


  • When does she suck her thumb? Is it when she is tired? If so maybe give her something else to comfort her.


  • I have two thumb suckers, who are 4 and 5… (I was also a thumb sucker when I was a child).. They grow out of it. I also work at a dentist, and they’ve said not to worry about it from a dental perspective. So don’t stress :)


  • I have one thumb sucker and have not worried about it. She will stop when she is ready. She is 4 now and only does it when she is really tired. It’s for comfort so I am not worried. As for the teeth thing I am sure it is a wives tale! I was the only one I my family who sucked there thumb and the only one without braces!,


  • I used to put a long t-shirt on my daughter and have the end tied..enough room for her to grab still…she would have her whole 4fingers in her mouth and I k we I had to break that habit quick! She learnt to take her shirt off real early before I could break the habit..she even learnt how to get the t-shirt off before her older sister! She was 9months! So I put the t-shirt on with the ends tied…then put a bond suit over the top so she couldn’t get it off..It was the only thing that worked and broke her out of the habit. She used to have her 4 fingers in her mouth daily..and night time is the worst because she would sleep with the whole 4 fingers and I wouldn’t be awake to take them out of her mouth. But the bond suit with the button at the bottom or the ones that go with legs no button or zipper…just out the legs through..any is good..but t-shirt then a suit over the top so she can’t get that t-shirt off..u will have her break out of the habit within weeks :-)


  • The dentist keeps telling me to get my daughter to stop sucking her thumb but it’s how she settles herself to sleep so I’m not sure if her sleep would be affected. I might try the nail polish that people are talking about and see if it stops her and she still sleeps well. Thanks for the question!


  • how did it work out?


  • good luck with this, it is a hard habit to get them to break


  • I would dip her thumb in something she cannot stand eating maybe it will turn her off doing it.


  • mittens or maybe mustard under the thumb nail.


  • At the chemist there is stop nail butting paint, put on thumb will only take a few applications and you will notice that they stop doing it.


  • nail biting stuff tastes horrible so could give it a go or put mittens on when sleeping.


  • try using the nail polish stuff to stop nail biting


  • Goodluck, it is very hard to get them to stop and I think the more you worry the more they do it


  • All 3 of my children were thumb suckers and all 3 of them stopped when they were ready.
    I just dont see the issue with it and everyone that says it causes problems with teeth….I dont believe that at all. My Mum had buck teeth and did not have a dummy nor was she a thumb sucker. I had buck teeth and did not have a dummy nor did i thumb suck. All 3 of my children were thumb suckers and my eldest has always received comments on how perfect her teeth are. My youngest had buck teeth….its genetic.


  • My sister in law had the same problem and she use to just try and distract her daughter with a toy or something but she did out grow it hun so hopefully the same happens to your little one I wish you all the best.


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