Many
children stop sucking on their thumb or pacifier around their
third birthday. If your child has not stopped by this age, you
should consider taking action to stop this habit if she is sucking
on her thumb/pacifier for most of the day, if it is affecting
her communication or social skills, if she is having trouble
with her pronunciation of words, or if it is causing problems
with her oral development.
Some
tips to help your child give up sucking his thumb or pacifier
include offering a reward or special treat, begin to limit thumb/pacifier
use (first limit use to inside the house, and then put the kitchen
off-limits, etc.), taking the air out of the pacifier by poking
a hole in it or cutting off the end, replace the comfort of sucking
with other comforts (for example, holding his hand when he upset),
supply a substitute and keep his mouth busy by singing a song,
playing a musical instrument or having a snack, and most importantly,
ask your child about giving up sucking his thumb or pacifier
and how he would like to go about doing it (slowly vs. cold turkey).
Avoid
putting
your child
down or
describing
him as
being ‘babyish.'
Also avoid
nagging
your child
or turning
this into
a power
struggle.
The more
anxious
she becomes,
the more
likely
she will
need the
comfort
of her
pacifier
or thumb. |
