7 Tips To Prevent The Child From Sucking His Finger
Babies start sucking their thumbs from the moment they are in the womb . It is a normal sucking reflex. They seek and suck when touched around the mouth.
After 4 or 6 months, sucking is no longer a reflex and they are doing it consciously . They will use it to feed themselves, explore the world, calm down , etc. They have a highly developed sense of taste and touch in the mouth. When children are little they put everything in their mouth to recognize and differentiate textures, shapes, flavors, etc.
Suction in babies
Suction provides them with security and also, thanks to it, they will be able to feed for a long time .
Babies often suck their thumb because they are hungry, bored, sleepy, angry, nervous, or anxious.
During the first two years of life it is normal for them to need their finger or pacifier to grasp the dream , relax, calm negative emotions, etc.
This attitude does not have to worry us, since most children stop thumb sucking on their own between the ages of 2 and 4 . After this time, if they have not stopped doing it, it is convenient to start correcting this habit to avoid malformations.
But if after this time your child still sucks his thumb, it is important that we begin to correct this habit. In this way we will avoid deformations in the palate, in the teeth, malformation in the finger, inflammation of the gums, infections , etc.
Keep reading, we will give you some tips to ensure that your little one does not suck his thumb.
7 Tips to prevent our child from sucking his finger
1. Use substitution therapy
If your child sucks his thumb because he is sleepy and has trouble holding it, you can give him a stuffed animal to keep him company. It will become your new playmate.
2. Find alternatives to calm the child in moments of anxiety
If your child sucks his thumb when he is anxious or angry, look for alternatives like a hug , caresses or talk to him and attend him in his emotions.
3. Provide distractions involving the use of your hands
When the little one sucks his thumb because he is bored, it is advisable to provide other distractions where you have to use your hands. Some play dough, crafts, painting, etc. In short, whatever comes to mind and keeps you distracted, this way you will forget to put your finger in your mouth.
4. Use positive reinforcement techniques
These techniques help modify childhood behaviors. They consist of applying positive reinforcement each time the child acts appropriately . We can make a table with small daily or weekly objectives, in the short term. If the objectives are met, they deserve a reward (a sticker, a small toy …).
As time goes by, the level of demand can be increased. In this way your child will feel proud when he sees that he achieves the proposed objectives. For example, sleeping one night without thumb sucking. With this we will be able to modify the behavior and improve its self-esteem .
5. Talk to the child
We can talk to him and give him a simple explanation, according to his age, about why he should not suck his thumb. . For this you have to find the right time, when you are calm and receptive.
6. Do not ridicule him, yell at him or use violence
If we yell at him and ridicule him, we will only make him scared and scared, we will not change the habit by doing this. With an explanation about why you shouldn’t suck your thumb, it is enough . It is better to notice every time he does not suck his finger and reinforce it, rather than berate him aggressively when he does.
7. Use a home remedy to prevent thumb sucking
The most frequently used are:
- Paint the nail of the finger with bitter polish that they sell in the pharmacies. But this substance is recommended not to use in children under 30 months.
- Dip your finger in lemon or vinegar.
- Put a band-aid or tape on the sucking finger.
If it reaches 5 years of age and we have not been able to eliminate this behavior, it is advisable to discuss it with the pediatrician or child psychologist , and they refer them to the speech therapist if the situation requires it. With patience and following these tips, it will surely be easier to prevent your child from sucking his thumb.
