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As your baby discovers her fingers and toes, thumb sucking can be really adorable. However, as your child grows into a preschooler, it is not so cute anymore. Instead, it becomes a bad habit that you are probably wondering how to break. Here are a few ways to help your preschooler stop sucking their thumb.
Talk about Thumb Sucking
This may seem really obvious, but your preschooler may not realize that thumb sucking is a bad habit that they should stop. As an infant, it was a way for them to self-soothe, but the older they get, the worse it can be. The first step to stopping thumb sucking is talking about why your preschooler needs to stop sucking their thumb. Help them understand that his hands are full of germs, and the older he gets, the more damage it can cause to his teeth or mouth. Next, preschoolers can learn about thumb sucking through books such as Thumbs Up, Brown Bear or Anna and Dedo: A Thumb Ventures Out.
Identify Triggers
Sleepiness and stress are common triggers for young children to want to suck their thumb. Some children have a favorite blanket or stuffed animal, and whenever they are holding it, they automatically begin sucking their thumb. Offer hugs and reassurance in other ways during stressful situations. Change up the bedtime routine, and possibly remove anything that triggers thumb sucking.
Use Positive Reinforcement
Praise your preschooler when she does not suck her thumb. Positive encouragement can go a long way! You may also come up with a sticker chart or reward system where your child can earn things whenever they do not suck their thumb. Many parents turn to bitter nail polish, thumb guards, retainers, or even socks on the child’s hands. These things may be useful to deter thumb sucking. Some parents see it as a distraction, while others see it as punishment. You can decide what methods are best for your preschooler.
For some children, thumb sucking is an extremely difficult habit to break. Try not to worry. Putting too much pressure on your child to stop thumb sucking might only delay the process.
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