Thumb sucking begins as a natural and simple behavior, but often persists for deeper reasons, particularly in children with ADHD. The connection between thumb sucking and ADHD goes beyond mere childhood habits, delving into complex neurological processes tied to sensory regulation, emotional control, and brain development.
Children with ADHD frequently use thumb sucking as a tool to manage their unique neurological differences, creating different hurdles for parents and caregivers to overcome. Read on to discover how thumb sucking is linked to ADHD.
Stimming Behavior
Stimming refers to repetitive movements or behaviors that individuals use to regulate their sensory input and emotional state. These self-stimulatory behaviors help people manage overwhelming sensations, anxiety, or excitement by providing predictable sensory feedback. For children with ADHD, stimming behaviors often increase during periods of stress, boredom, or intense focus.
Thumb sucking functions as a repetitive behavior that provides consistent oral and tactile stimulation for children with ADHD. This behavior helps regulate sensory input when the nervous system feels overwhelmed or understimulated. The rhythmic motion and pressure create a calming effect that many children with ADHD find essential for maintaining focus and emotional balance.
Moreover, stimming engages at least one of the senses. The act of sucking provides tactile stimulation through the physical contact of the thumb with the mouth, lips, and tongue. At the same time, it also engages the sense of taste, as the thumb encounters saliva and any residual flavors or substances on the skin.
Dopamine Release
According to Verywell Health, there is a link between ADHD and dopamine, as well as other neurotransmitters, which impacts how we interact with the world. While having low dopamine doesn’t automatically mean a child has ADHD, individuals with ADHD typically have lower dopamine. This specific neurotransmitter plays a key role in motivation, focus, and the feeling of reward. Reduced dopamine activity can make it harder to regulate emotions and may contribute to impulsivity. Children and adults with ADHD often seek dopamine through other ways, such as thumb sucking, overeating, or engaging in risky behavior.
Thumb sucking stimulates the brain’s reward pathways, triggering the release of dopamine and creating feelings of calm and satisfaction. During infancy, thumb sucking is natural and a child learns this behavior; it can become a problem if their brain gets addicted to it for the dopamine boost. Over time, their brain learns to crave the dopamine boost provided by thumb sucking, which fuels the habit.
Self-Soothing and Emotional Regulation
Children with ADHD frequently struggle with emotional regulation due to differences in brain development, particularly in areas controlling impulse management and emotional processing. These neurological differences make it harder for children to calm themselves when they feel upset, excited, or overwhelmed. Traditional coping strategies that work for neurotypical children – cuddling a stuffed animal or deep breathing – can be harder for kids with ADHD because emotional experiences feel more intense.
If a child has ADHD, they may turn to less than ideal coping options such as thumb or finger sucking. In addition to dopamine, thumb sucking releases endorphins, which help to soothe and calm the nervous system. Additionally, it’s a convenient option since their hands are available, whether they’re at home, at the park, at school, or anywhere else.
Neurological Development
Understanding how ADHD makes the brain different helps you better understand your child. After all, people with ADHD have a different psychological makeup than those who do not, which can impact daily life. As explained, ADHD can create challenges for executive functioning, attention regulation, and impulse control. The prefrontal cortex, which governs these higher-order thinking skills, develops more slowly in people with ADHD. Typically, it finishes developing around the age of 25, but if someone has ADHD, development may take an additional two to three years.
How does this impact children with ADHD and thumb sucking? Since the prefrontal cortex impacts our decision-making skills, children and adolescents with ADHD are more likely to continue thumb sucking, even if they’re trying to quit. Their brain is more likely to make impulsive decisions; they may know thumb sucking is “wrong,” but they act on it before their brain fully thinks it through.
Behavioral Patterns
Children with ADHD commonly develop repetitive behaviors that provide structure and predictability in their daily experiences. These habits help create a sense of control and stability that can feel elusive when managing ADHD symptoms. Repetitive behaviors often intensify during periods of increased stress, major life changes, or when children feel overwhelmed by environmental demands.
Likewise, hyperactivity symptoms in ADHD can also contribute to thumb sucking patterns, as children seek ways to channel excess energy into manageable behaviors. Thumb sucking provides a focused outlet that allows children to engage their motor skills while remaining relatively still and socially appropriate. This combination makes thumb sucking an attractive alternative to more disruptive stimming behaviors that might draw negative attention.
How To Help Your Child
Knowing how thumb sucking relates to ADHD is the first step to ending the habit. Taking a thoughtful, compassionate approach helps your child without causing emotional distress. Here are a few tips to help your child manage their thumb sucking:
Discuss the Behavior
Talk to your child about their thumb sucking and explain that while they need to quit, they’re not “bad” for having the behavior. All kids are different, and while some quit thumb sucking in early toddlerhood, others don’t. From here, talk to your child about why they need to drop the habit; explain that it can hurt their jaw or teeth. By discussing the side effects of thumb sucking, you help your child know why they need to stop.
Offer Healthy Alternatives
Help your child transition from thumb-sucking to other soothing activities that fulfill the same sensory or emotional need. Some healthy options to offer your child include:
- Fidget toy to use
- A soft blanket or stuffed animal to hold
- Sensory chewable necklaces to bite on
You can also experiment with other coping skills, such as deep breathing or 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercises, to help your child manage their emotions. In the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise, your child identifies five things they can see, four things they can feel, three things they can hear, two things they can smell, and one thing they can taste.
Parent Tip
Using a thumb sucking glove can also help by giving their child a thumb sucking glove to naturally deter the habit. This glove features slits on the sides to eliminate suction, thereby removing the pleasure from the habit.
Create a Supportive Environment at Home
Children with ADHD often thrive when they feel understood and secure. Encourage open conversations where your child feels safe discussing their emotions and habits without fear of criticism or shame. Use positive reinforcement rather than punishment to guide them toward healthier behaviors. A compassionate and structured home environment provides the foundation your child needs to grow and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
