May 02 2012.
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When a newborn sucks their thumb, you can hear the rounds of awing and cooing that go around the room from the proud parents. Unfortunately ‘thumb sucking’ can grow into a nasty habit if not nipped in the bud at an earlier stage. Since I used ‘soothers’ with my children I avoided this phase all together but I do have many friends who are actively fighting the war on thumb sucking.
Thumb sucking is a reflexive action in newborns to help them in the process of breastfeeding. It has been found that even fetuses at 15 weeks in the mother’s womb display thumb sucking tendencies. Once the baby is born this reflexive action is supposed to wear off by the age of four months. Though some children, as old as four or five, still continue with their thumb sucking habits since it acts as a soothing action in their daily bedtime ritual.
(Baby sucking thumb in womb)
Children have also showed ‘thumb-sucking’ behavior in times of stress and anxiety. In either situation it is important to get to the root of the matter and end the thumb-sucking sessions permanently for they are detrimental to the child’s health.
EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE THUMB SUCKING
By the time the child is four to five years old their adult teeth have started to emerge. Excessive thumb sucking can cause a dental condition known as ‘Alveolar Prognathism’, which is a severe deformation in the frontal area of a child’s teeth, therefore it is detrimental that thumb sucking be put a stop before any of the child’s permanent teeth have come into place.
It has also been found that children who engage in thumb sucking for longer periods also tend to develop speech impediments. They have problems saying the letters ‘s, t, d’ and many other letter sounds that require using the tip of the tongue.
Sometimes a thumb that is constantly being sucked can result in minor health problems for the child as well. The constant moisture and sucking action can cause the skin to develop calluses, dry and cracked skin as well as nail infections, which are all uncomfortable situations for your child.
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM
Don’t shout at your child when they are sucking their thumbs, but instead praise them at the times when they are not using it. In this way when they don’t suck their thumbs they get positive attention from you.
Phase off the thumb sucking by telling them that it is behavior only limited to bedtime for example, in this way you avoid constant usage during the day.
If you feel that a child is sucking their thumbs only when they are stressed and anxious, then you need to talk to the child and get to the root of the matter.
For older children explain to them the disadvantages of thumb sucking, maybe get the help of your dentist and show then the ill-effects of sucking their thumbs.
If all fails you can then use external methods like bandaging the thumb or putting a glove on at night. I would avoid putting bitter substances on their thumbs, since that seems a bit cruel a remedy for a child.
Either way children do grow out of thumb sucking eventually, I know as Parents we are eager to get them on the right path as quickly as possible. It can be done with your patience and perseverance, all thumb suckers will be abolished.
(Article by Mayuri Jayasinghe)
0 Comments
Shoaib01 says:
Jul 09, 2012 at 10:46 amIt was cute when she was a little baby, but now she's almost 3 and her thumb is rarely out of her mouth. Find out the best ways to gently break the thumb-sucking habit.Thumb sucking is very interesting behaviour. It is often discouraged by doctors, nurses and grandparents, but is actually good for your bub! Babies especially like to suck and some babies are natural thumb suckers. Thumb sucking allows the baby to relax. In fact, studies show that the child’s heart rate slows, their blood pressure