Why Your Child is Sucking Their Thumb & How You Can Help Them

Thumb sucking is a completely natural habit that thousands and thousands of young children find difficult to break. The longer you wait to help them break their habit, the harder it will be for them to quit. While we know that thumb sucking is a very common thing among our children, we may not know some of the reasons why they are sucking their thumbs. Understanding these reasons can make it easier for us to assist them in breaking their thumb sucking habit.

If your child is still a young baby, they most likely are sucking their thumb because they are teething. This act will sooth the pain of a tooth that is growing through the skin. They also may suck their thumbs as a way to find comfort and relaxation before falling asleep. While these are not the only reasons that children suck their thumbs, it is important to remember that the habit is natural and that you must be patient and understanding when attempting to help them quit.



Remaining patient is key. You are not going to be able to get your child to quit sucking their thumb in a day or two. When they are about to suck their thumbs, distract them. Distracting your child by giving them something to play with or hold on to is a good way to keep their minds off of their thumb sucking habit. If they usually suck their thumbs before falling asleep, engage in other relaxing activities with them such as story telling or giving them a stuffed animal that they can hold on to with both hands. Then, monitor them until they are deeply asleep to make sure they do not go right back to sucking their thumb.

Of course, this all much easier said than done. Getting your child to stop sucking their thumb is an important step that also can be very frustrating. Thankfully there are products that can help in this process. One in particular, the Thumbusters glove-like device, is effective in helping children break their thumb sucking habit.

Whether you attempt to use a method or product, it can be a long journey for you and your child. So please, remember to be patient with them. Good luck on you and their journey to stop thumb sucking!

The Facts About Thumb Sucking

Thumb sucking is a very common and also very natural habit for young children. Babies have been shown to even suck their thumbs while still in the womb! It is estimated that about 80% of infants and children suck their thumbs at some point during their early lives. That number decreases to about an average of 15% when children reach the age of four. 15% is still a very large percentage and while you may be confused as to why your child insists on sucking their thumb, there are a number of reasons for the habit. Many children suck their thumb when they are scared, anxious or nervous. Tired, bored and children in need of soothing have also frequently been found to suck their thumbs.

As mentioned, thumb sucking is an incredibly common and normal thing. But you want to break your child’s habit as soon as possible. If the habit persists far into their childhood, certain consequences and side effects could arise. These may range from damage to permanent teeth which will cause dental and orthodontic problems, to self-esteem or social side effects.

The thing that is important to remember is that thumb sucking is perfectly natural and normal. Intervention for a very young child is not necessary. However, when a child still has the habit anywhere from the age to 4-6, it may be time to intervene. If positive reinforcement and encouragement do not work to break the thumb sucking habit, perhaps a physical barrier such as a stop thumb sucking Thumbusters glove is the solution.

Thumb sucking is perfectly normal and also a habit that you can help your child break. Just make sure that you don’t wait too long.