What is the best way to get a three year old boy to stop sucking his thumb?

Answer 1

Advice from the parents of the Answers.com Q&A community:

Normal Development and 'Readiness'

He will stop when he is ready. Help him learn to calm down when he is nervous or unhappy and eventually he won't need his thumb. Keep him active and using his hands, you can play Baseball, fingerpaint, bake cookies or anything else really fun while sucking your thumb. Turn off the tv and send him outside. If he still sucks his thumb when tired or sleeping that will eventually stop.

Binky's or Pacifiers

Do you give them a binky to suck on instead? That might help.

My sister's children, ages 3.5 and 5, still use their binkys. She has tried to take them away, but the kids just start sucking their thumbs, instead. The pediatrician recommended that she poke pin holes in each binky, so the kids lose suction when they use them. This way, supposedly, they will lose interest in sucking altogether when they are not getting the expected reward/sensation. The idea is that they feel they are still in control, but don't get as much pleasure out of it and will eventually stop.

Using a binky is okay when the child is still young, but be careful if the kids are older because it can cause dental problems. We've taken to encouraging the older young child to use their blankets instead to comfort themselves when tired or upset, since these can be taken away and don't cause dental problems!

Adversive edible liquid or pastes

You can apply some edible liquid that is bitter in taste, to his thumb. You can also use the cruse extract of Aolevera plant.but please see to it that it should be edible material -- do not use anything else.

Rizwan.

If you find something non toxic that tastes bad and let it dry on their fingers, they will keep it out of their mouth. Vinegar is good or a mild pepper sauce or such. They do make a non-toxic substance called "bitter apple" that you can rub onto his thumb while he sleeps. (or to keep your cat from chewing through wires!) Ask around your neighborhood and local stores to see where it is carried.

My 4 year old daughter still sucks her thumb & if I was to put anything on her thumb she'll just wash it off while I'm not looking.

I sucked my thumb until i was 10 and every time my mom put any nasty taste on my thumb i washed it off or sucked it off.

Avoid products with alcohol !

Most mouthwashes contain some alcohol. These should not be used with children.

Ways to stop Thumb Sucking:

Try A Reward System

'Reminder Liquid' Idea

Do Not Try Negative Reinforcement

Weaken the Habit by engaging him in different play activities

Answer 2

My son couldn't give his up so we talked about him being a big boy(3) and not a little baby anymore. Then he threw it in the bin as the main collection was happening and he could see it getting taken away. He got a little bit upset but was over it after a couple of days. This only works if they dont get the concept of getting a new one at the shop,just don't go down the baby aisle with junior for awhile. Good luck!

Answer 3

Don't make a fuss about it and above all don't use threats. You will create far more problems than you solve by this method. Children grow out of thumbsucking eventually; meanwhile simply ensure that if your child sucks their thumb their hands are washed regularly.

You might feel embarrassed if your child sucks its thumb in front of other people. If so, stop for a moment and consider it shouldn't bother them and it isn't their place to approve or disapprove of harmless actions on the part of another person's child.

If you really feel the time spent thumbsucking is excessive - for example, if the child is sucking their thumb most of the time and not simply when tired, worried or bored - please take your child to a pediatrician or a children's health clinic; during that consultation the whole picture, including any possible detrimental effect on dental development, will be discussed. Otherwise, be patient and don't draw the child's attention to it: it will stop one day.

Remember, your child is sucking their thumb in order to obtain comfort. Any perceived attempt to intervene will feel threatening to that child, and the last thing you want is an insecure youngster!

Don't take the advice of non-professionals when it comes to your child's health and happiness. Others might mean well, but the decision to act or to let nature take its course is yours, with the guidance of professionals if appropriate, and your child's well-being should be your only concern in these circumstances - not the opinions of unqualified people.

Answer 4

Thumb sucking is such a hard habit to break but I have two options that may help with quiting sucking the thumb

1) talk to your dentist about Mavala, it tastes horrible but you have to stay on top of it because it wears off quickly which is why it did not work for us as others.

2) Which has been my luck with my daughter who was born with Tetrology of Fallot and the thumb was her comfort in the hospital and now just a problem at age 4, just place a band-aid good but light around that sucking finger. You will have to wait through the crying and trying to take it off, after a short time your child may be open to the band-aid and sometimes asking for it, and it is not traumatic just annoying and it really has been the only thing that has reduced the problem the first time around, and I say reduced because it is hard to stay on top of it. The second time I stayed on top of it and it was successful and not harmful in any way. You may notice the cost of going through band-aids but Walmart or Costco bulk boxes whatever, it was worth the second time around for us.