In the early months of infancy, thumb sucking is a natural behavior that babies do to soothe themselves. However, as the baby grows older, this habit can lead to dental and speech problems if not stopped at the right time. Additionally, this habit can be highly addictive, so ending it in the early days of toddlerhood is best. Use this guide to understand how to stop a baby from sucking its thumb.
Understand What’s Causing It
One of the most important things you should do when helping your child end this habit is to understand the reason behind it. Thumb-sucking often begins as an instinctive habit in many babies, reflexively doing so as early as 15 weeks in utero.
However, thumb-sucking can shift from a natural to a habitual or compulsive behavior, making it less healthy. Sometimes, a baby’s mind learns to associate thumb-sucking with pleasure, making it harder for them to quit as they become toddlers. In fact, some of the most common reasons for “unnecessary” thumb-sucking include anxiety, boredom, tiredness, and hunger.
If a toddler sucks their thumb for one of these reasons, the behavior is more likely to become addictive because the brain releases hormones such as dopamine, which make them feel at ease. This feel-good sensation is what makes thumb-sucking an addictive behavior.
Watch Your Child
To figure out why your toddler sucks their finger or thumb, pay attention to what’s going on when they do so. If you notice that they suck their thumb during stressful situations or when they are bored, try to find alternative ways to help them cope with those emotions. Likewise, if they suck it before bed, then try to establish a calming bedtime routine instead.
Offer Healthy Alternatives
Once you know why your little one sucks their thumb, you can start looking for a healthy alternative. Avoid pacifiers, as they produce the same sensation and side effects; binkies and thumb sucking can misshape the jaw and palate.
Teething Toys
If your baby is at an oral fixation stage, consider giving them teething toys to chew on. These can help relieve the need for oral stimulation and provide some comfort during teething. Additionally, chewing releases hormones such as serotonin and endorphins, but doesn’t damage the jaw in the same way thumb sucking can.
Give Them Comfort Objects
Soft items, such as blankets or stuffed animals, can provide emotional security without involving the mouth. These items become portable sources of comfort that babies can use during naptime, car rides, or other situations where they typically resort to thumb-sucking.
Use Gentle Reminders
Most children are sensitive, especially to their parents, since they look up to them. As you work on ending the habit, use soft verbal cues such as “hands down” or “big kid hands” to redirect their attention without creating a negative experience. These reminders are most effective when delivered in a calm, loving tone that focuses on the desired behavior rather than the unwanted habit.
Physical touch can also serve as an effective reminder system for babies who respond well to tactile input. To do this, gently guide your baby’s hand away from their mouth while offering an alternative activity, which helps break the unconscious pattern. This approach requires parents to stay alert and intervene consistently whenever they notice the behavior beginning.
Set Time Limits
A key way to stop a baby from sucking its thumb is to understand that this is a gradual process. If you go from letting your child suck their thumb anytime they want to not allowing the behavior at all, you’ll confuse them, making the process more stressful.
Start with short time limits by allowing thumb sucking only during specific times, such as before naptime or bedtime. As they get used to these limits, you can gradually decrease the time allowed for thumb sucking until eventually, it becomes completely eliminated from their routine. This gives the child a sense of control and helps them gradually break the habit.
Use Visual Cues
Toddlers respond well to visual cues since they help them understand the desired behavior. Create a visual progress chart to display on your fridge or in an area where your child can easily see it and track their progress. A sticker chart is the easiest way to do this, as you can add stickers that correspond to each goal.
To make things more fun, create the chart with your child so they feel engaged throughout the process. Plus, having them draw or color areas of the chart keeps their mind and hands busy, reducing the urge to suck their finger.
Parent Tip
Think of small awards you can give your child each time they meet a goal. The first time they go a whole day without sucking their thumb, you may give them a special dessert. Likewise, once they go a week without thumb sucking, they could get a new toy. This not only motivates them to keep going, but it also reinforces positive behavior.
Buy Physical Aids
All children are different, and while some respond well to time limits and reward systems, others experience too much pleasure from thumb sucking to quit. Knowing how to break a thumb suckercomes down to using the right tools.
While there are many dental devices on the market, a thumb sucking glove is your best option. Unlike mouth devices or nail polish deterrents, this device doesn’t negate thumb sucking; instead, a glove removes the pleasurable suction from the habit. In turn, your child will naturally give up thumb sucking because there’s no “reward” to it.
Another reason most parents and children prefer a thumb sucking glove is that it’s flexible, allowing them to continue playing without physical restrictions. Plus, these devices feature small side holes that prevent suction in the mouth and allow for ventilation, enhancing comfort.
Be Patient
Breaking the thumb-sucking habit requires time and consistent effort from both parents and children. Depending on the method(s) you use, most babies need several weeks or months to fully transition to alternative comfort strategies. Some kids experience setbacks throughout the process, but this is perfectly normal. Remember, thumb sucking is addictive, and going back to an addiction can happen regardless of what it is.
Patience and understanding are essential throughout this process. Celebrate your child’s efforts and remind them to keep trying, even when progress feels slow. Consistency and empathy create the foundation for helping your child overcome the habit. This approach not only breaks the habit of thumb-sucking but also fosters trust and cooperation, preparing your child with healthy coping strategies for future challenges.
