by vered Kaminsky
As we know, initially, sucking one's thumb can appear and develop with the fetus – during the time of pregnancy.
For some infants, this behavior continues after birth. Sucking their thumb becomes their remedy for tiredness, fear, boredom, illness, and at a later stage provides comfort when going through an adaptation period – for example, the first day at a new school or if moving to another city, etc.
The Dentists' Organization, and even well-known companies that sell beauty products or products for healthy teeth, argue that if permanent teeth have not yet been formed, most children can suck on their thumbs without any interruption and without causing damage to their teeth or their jaws.
However, from the age of four and onwards, it is not only recommended but in fact is advisable to start weaning the child from this habit to avoid imminent problems as well as future ones.
Breaking the habit of thumb-sucking is necessary, essential, and important since it can interfere with a child's daily life and hinder them in all areas of life. This habit can disconnect the child from society, causing him or her to feel ashamed and even ostracized, being referred to as a "baby" etc. All of these do not even touch on the medical implications that can accompany this phenomenon.
Judging by testimonies of parents whose children suck their thumbs, it is obvious it is worthwhile to wean off the children as early as possible.
Mothers, looking for solutions to wean off their children from the thumb-sucking habit, have shared that at an older age the weaning process is more difficult and is accompanied with many struggles, crying, etc.
Parents have described true difficulties when dealing with this habit and with the trying to break it. In these days of the Coronavirus, where it is recommended not to touch your face, getting rid of a thumb-sucking habit is not only very important, it's a must!
After buying my book, a mother of a six-year-old daughter told me: "My daughter has been sucking her thumb from an early age. To tell you the truth at first it was convenient for me. She sat quietly, slept through the night and it allowed me some rest.
However, when she grew up, it became an addiction. It was simply crazy! I had to recruit a lot of mental strength (and so did she) to cope with weaning off this habit."
In designated forums discussing thumb-sucking among children, one can find many conversations describing great frustration and tension between parents and their children. We heard the following descriptions while researching for the book and the digital course for braking thumb-sucking habit:
"My eight-year-old daughter cried for hours after I had no choice but to fix her thumb firmly in a special device because her jaw began to protrude."
"My son cried the whole night because he could not fall asleep without sticking his thumb in his mouth."
"After bandaging my daughter's hand, I fixed her elbow firmly and smeared bitter ointment on her thumbs, but then she started chewing her fingernails out of frustration. There is a lot of tension between us and I am beginning to break down. It is hard for me to be strong and not surrender and give up!"
"We promised plenty of things and tried all kinds of methods including gifts, prizes, and even a trip abroad but nothing helped."
Thumb-sucking is not just a child's habit. There are testimonies of adults who claim that this habit does not just stop at an older age. Some adults have shared that they suck their thumbs to fall asleep, or when they feel angry and nervous. This goes to show that it can be a bothersome habit at any age.
However, it is important to remember that the desire to stop the habit must come from the children themselves in order for the process to succeed!
Each day that goes by without a child sucking their thumb, should be intensified – physically and verbally. For example, you can say "kudos to you", "I knew you could do it", "I have faith in you", etc. You should also hug your child and tell him or her how important this process is. The success of weaning off the habit depends greatly on the child, but also on the environment. So, if you really want your child to get rid of their thumb-sucking habit, it is recommended to accompany them throughout the whole process.
The article was written by the author of the book and by Dana Kaminsky, the hero of the book "Dana's Finger Is Set Free"
The book on Amazon