I don’t know how to stop her. She removes her finger whenever I tell her to do so, but continues sucking it after few minutes.
Answer
In this counseling answer:
•Give her gentle reminders; substitute the thumb for a soft favorite toy when you see her sucking.
•Consistency in pulling her thumb out and replacing it with something she likes, as well as praising her when you don’t see her thumb in her mouth are all positive ways to help curb this habit.
•Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort to your child.
As-Salamu ‘Alaykum,
Thank you for writing in to our live session. First of all, most psychologists and pediatricians agree that thumb-sucking is not harmful and in most cases does not cause deformity of the mouth or teeth. Some orthodontists disagree.
WebMD states that thumb-sucking is actually beneficial for a child stating that “ Thumb-sucking is appropriate and useful behavior for very young children,’ says Linda Goldstein,
MD, a Washington pediatrician. ’It allows them to comfort and entertain themselves.” Thumb-sucking often develops in young children as a method of self-comfort. Children usually outgrow thumb-sucking by the age of 4 or 5. Some experts believe that it is related to breastfeeding.
As the baby suckles the breast when he/she is hungry, if the breast (nipple) is not available when the baby is hungry, they often opt for their soft thumb, which in turn often becomes a tool for self-comforting as stated above.
Your child may or may not have just come off breastfeeding as you stated she is two years old. If so, you may see an increase for a while in thumb-sucking as the baby is making the transition off the breast.
In any case, give her gentle reminders; substitute the thumb for a soft favorite toy when you see her sucking.
Consistency in pulling her thumb out and replacing it with something she likes, as well as praising her when you don’t see her thumb in her mouth are all positive ways to help curb this habit. However, if she persists, don’t worry; it is generally harmless and will go away as she gets older.
Check out this counseling video
Some tips from ADA include: “Praise your child for not sucking. Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure or needing comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort to your child.
For an older child, involve him or her in choosing the method of stopping.” I have included some links for you to review, I hope they are helpful. You and your family are in our prayers.
Salam,
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