Many Children Suck Their Thumbs

Babies and young children often suck their thumbs. It's perfectly normal. But some parents worry about it. As children get older, thumb-sucking becomes less common. But a small number of children still suck their thumbs up to age 5. The habit is harmless if the child does it now and then. This includes during bedtime or a stressful event.

When it is a problem

Older children who keep sucking their thumbs or fingers may need help to stop the habit. This help can come from parents, a dentist, or an orthodontist. Long-term (chronic) thumb-sucking can cause the child’s permanent teeth to push forward. This creates an overbite.

If you’re not sure how to stop the thumb-sucking, talk with your child’s dentist. If your child is already thumb-sucking less often, you likely don't need to do anything. That’s particularly true if the child still has baby teeth.

If the habit stops before your child gets permanent teeth, dental problems often correct themselves. Treatment may be needed between ages 3 to 6. Children often start to get permanent teeth at about age 6. Some children may want to stop sucking their thumb on their own. They may want to prevent being teased, which can happen.

How to break the habit

Try these methods:

• Ignore the behavior. Most often children will stop on their own. They are likely to stop as they get older due to peer pressure.

• Cover your child’s hand.You might try a sock or a glove. You can also buy special mittens or a plastic thumb guard. Either one makes sucking difficult.

• Use rewards. Say something positive whenever you see that your child is not sucking their thumb. You might put a star on a calendar when your child goes without thumb-sucking for a day. Or when he or she leaves the sock or glove on all night. Stars could mean your child gets an extra story, a trip to the library, or some other reward.

• Get help. A dentist or orthodontist can tell you how to slowly phase out these rewards to keep the habit from returning.

• Try a device. The orthodontist may need to place a special device (dental appliance) in your child's mouth. The device will keep the thumb slightly away from the roof of the mouth. This interferes with the suction that occurs when thumb-sucking. This device may need to be used for 6 to 10 months.