| How to stop thumb sucking
|
|
How to stop thumb sucking
Does your baby or child suck their thumb? Some children suck their thumbs while others do not. Why? What are the consequences of thumb sucking, healthwise? How can you help your child stop sucking their thumb?
Some infants begin sucking their thumb while in their mother’s womb. Many babies are born with calluses from sucking their finger, thumb or wrist. Other babies discover finger or thumb sucking after birth. This non-nutritive sucking is done for comfort. The sucking instinct in newborns is for survival. Sucking brings food and this food brings comfort. Seventy five percent of all babies in industrialized countries suck their thumb at some point. Babies that are born in countries where they have constant access to their mother’s breast have very little incidence of thumb sucking. The infant’s sucking urge is completely satisfied and they do not need to suck their thumbs.
Thumb sucking is a common habit among many children. It is common with children under two and is associated with the need to seek food. In some infants it can signal fatigue, sleep, hunger, teething and shyness.
Thirty percent of preschool children continue the habit. Most kids out grow it by 5. It is may not be harmful unless the child is still doing it at the time their permanent teeth are coming in, which is usually around 4-6. If you want to know How to stop thumb sucking, then it is important to know that, It is done to comfort your child when they are:
Bored
Tired
Worried
Feeling stressed
The intensity of thumb sucking is a factor which determines whether or not dental problems may occur. Vigorous thumb suckers will have more dental problems. So it is very much important to know How to stop thumb sucking.
Let the child decide it\'s a problem.
Use a reward system
Try ordeal therapy
Offer the child the option of thumb sucking in private.
Never use negative reinforcement.
Try "reminder fluid."
Start with the easy stuff, then move on.
Don\'t yell.
Wait it out.
If you are learning how to stop thumb sucking, then motivate your child by talking to him or her about why it is important to stop thumb-sucking. Explain that stopping will help him or her have a beautiful smile and nice teeth. Let your child know that continuing will cause problems with how his or her teeth grow.
Use a mirror to show your child the changes happening to his or her teeth or mouth shape.
Talk about the unhealthy germs that are on our hands and how the child puts the germs in his or her mouth by thumb-sucking.
Talk to your child about becoming a "big boy" or "big girl" by stopping thumb-sucking. Remind your child that he or she may be teased for continuing thumb-sucking.
Make sure you choose the right time to have this discussion. Children often suck their thumbs to relieve stress. Picking a stress-free time will help the child succeed. Also, a child probably needs to be 4 or 5 in order to understand your reasoning and to be able to cooperate in this process of learning how to stop thumb sucking.
\'Thumb sucking can be such a pain. It can be so automatic that before you know it your thumbs back in your mouth and your slurping away on your own thumb.
Thumb sucking is nature\'s way of getting us \'off mother\'s nipple\'. It is an activity that let\'s babies \'come off\' the nipple gently for a while.
When breast feeding stops thumb sucking may continue just until the baby becomes used to drawing it\'s nutrition more independently by eating and drinking for itself.
Children or even some adults may find themselves reaching for this symbol of babyhood in times of stress or when they seek comfort or reassurance.
Perhaps you find yourself thumb sucking just occasionally when you feel bored, or in need of comfort.
Maybe you suck your thumb almost constantly the way some people chain smoke.
Whatever the pattern or reason it can be embarrassing and humiliating if others notice and difficult to resist the urge sometimes.
Thumb sucking can displace your teeth and create dryness in the skin of the thumb.
You know it\'s got to stop sometime. You don\'t want to be thumb sucking in 5,10,15,20 yeas time!
This session can help you to be in charge of your thumb and stop it ruling you so much.
Imagine what it\'s going to be like to let your thumb breath properly and be free of thumb sucking.
These are points to be kept while learning How to stop thumb sucking
How to stop thumb sucking >
|
|
