Thumb-sucking should be discouraged due to the negative impact on dentition, swallowing and speech development. The following ideas may assist with decreasing that activity:

A.     To break the habit initially, encourage your child to do his thumb-sucking in a different way (e.g., use a different finger or suck his thumb at a different time of day). Initially, it may be helpful to use the same thumb, sucking it all he wants prior to bedtime but not while he is in bed. Then, move to sucking a different thumb or finger prior to bedtime, but not while in bed.

B.     Replace the need for thumb-sucking at bedtime with holding a stuffed animal or toy tightly while falling asleep.

C.     Throughout the day, provide numerous opportunities for your child to engage in appropriate oral stimulation, such as playing a wind instrument (e.g., horn, clarinet, etc.) or chewing sugarless bubble gum. Additional oral stimulation can be provided during tooth brushing time by gently brushing the tongue. The addition of varied textures in food will also assist with providing needed oral stimulation.

D.     Rhythmical activities, such as jumping on an exercise trampoline, dancing, or rocking in a rocking chair to music decrease the need for rhythmical stimulation received from thumb-sucking.

E.     Talk with the child about the need to quit thumb-sucking and set a target date by which to accomplish this goal (e.g., birthday, entrance into preschool). Work on strategies to decrease thumb-sucking and mark a calendar with the number of incidents each day, reinforcing a decrease in incidents as you approach the target date.

F.     For night-time thumb-sucking, which may be an automatic rather than willful act, place a secure bandage or splint on the thumb so that it will feel different as the child attempts to place the thumb in the mouth. This creates a reminder and makes the night-time occurrences a conscious act.

© Parent-Child Services Group, Inc.
Lynne F. Harmon, MA, CCC-SLP
Permission to copy for educational purposes only