Do you have a late thumb-sucker?
Joseph is the oldest of our seven children. He began sucking his thumb at 4 months of age, and continued until he was 8 years old. That was a long enough time for us to actually consult an orthodontist because we noticed that his top front teeth were being pushed forward from the pressure of his thumb.
We tried everything to break him of the habit. I Googled every trick in the book, but none of them worked for us. What many parents fail to realize is just how strong a thumb-sucking habit can be. It is a major source of comfort for many children and the older they get, the harder it can be to let it go. Now add the fact that sucking is an inborn instinct, and that the thumb is part of your child’s body (you can’t remove it or hide it like a pacifier), and you have a recipe for a mighty struggle.
So what finally broke the habit? Going to see the orthodontist. He didn’t do anything magical or terribly expensive. In fact, we went to his office twice and he never charged us a dime (the man is going to get ALL my business if we ever DO need dental work).
What the orthodontist provided was the gravitas of a trusted authority figure, plus accountability, and both of these things from an unbiased third party. The mere fact of going to the doctor and having a thorough interview and exam put in Joseph’s mind the idea that this was something very important. He knew that we were all getting really serious about stopping the habit. This definitely set the stage for success.
The doctor told me that Joseph’s teeth were not extended too far out; if he quit very soon, then the damage might actually be remedied by the natural pressure of his lips pushing back. If he didn’t quit….Joseph would probably need braces.
Dr. Edmonds then gave Joseph a great little pep talk. It went something like this: “Joseph, I’m going to ask you to stop sucking your thumb for a few days. I’m going to put this Band-Aid around your thumb to help you remember what I’ve asked of you.” He paused and wrapped a bright neon bandage around the beloved appendage.
And then he continued. “Sometimes you’ll want to suck your thumb really badly. I know it’s going to be hard. You’ll have two choices. Look at that bandage and think about what Dr. Edmonds asked of you and tell yourself not to suck it. Or rip that bandage off and suck it anyway.”
Joseph was listening with rapt attention.
Then Dr. Edmonds said, “The first few times you choose not to suck your thumb, it’s going to be difficult. But I promise you it will get easier. And if you come back in a month and your mama tells me that you’re not sucking your thumb at all anymore, I have a big box of toys for you to pick something out of.”
And then the two of them shook hands, like men do when they strike a bargain.
We went home and the trial period began. After three days, Joseph quit the habit. He never sucked his thumb again. You can bet that one very proud and grateful mother walked into the orthodontist’s office a month later. Joseph was on a high from his success…and from the neat toy he got out of that box!
I would recommend this type of method for any family dealing with prolonged thumb-sucking. And I’m not saying you have to go to the doctor. The key to this method was finding someone authoritative (and liked by the child) besides mama or daddy to “make a deal” with the child. It could be a local fireman or the lady who cuts hair at your local salon. Find someone that your child admires and looks up to; this is crucial because it provides the motivation for those moments of temptation. They will want to say NO because it’s even harder to go back to that person and tell them you failed.
Have you had a thumb-sucker that held on to the habit for years? What worked for you?
