What to do if a child sucks his fingers: advice from a psychologist. How to wean a child from thumb sucking

Thumb sucking by a small child can become a serious problem. If earlier this behavior was considered just one of the bad habits, trying by all means to prevent the baby from sucking his thumb, now the attitude towards this problem has changed. Why does a child begin to suck his thumb and how to wean him from such an action?

Causes

The main reason for thumb sucking is the desire of the child to satisfy the sucking instinct. It is noted that children who have more frequent feedings suck their fingers less often. Also, those babies who suck milk faster are more likely to resort to thumb sucking than babies who suck milk for a long time.

A child may suck his thumb because:

He is hungry or still wants to suck on the breast.
He is teething and wants to scratch his gums.
The kid lacks the attention and love of parents.
So the child calms himself.
He's just bored.
He was weaned too early or too abruptly.

Most often, a child who sucks his fingers was weaned early enough.

babies

Thumb sucking is most commonly seen in breastfeeding babies, and the type of feeding influences the development of this habit.

When breastfeeding

Babies who receive mother's milk suck their thumb quite rarely, especially if the mother gives the baby a breast on demand and does not interfere with sucking. Mom does not see if there is milk in the breast, so she gives the baby the opportunity to suck longer than with bottle feeding.

With artificial feeding

Often, artificial babies begin to suck their thumb if they drink a portion of formula too quickly. Normally, the baby should suck milk from the bottle for 20 minutes (this is the time for sucking only, without taking into account rest intervals), and the holes on the nipple should be selected in such a size as to ensure that the milk is sucked for exactly this time period.

Pay attention to the speed of milk flowing out of the bottle, the child must satisfy the sucking reflex, so the intake of the mixture should not be fast

Children over one year old

It is very rare for a child to start sucking his thumb at this age, he has usually been seen doing this before. Babies over 12 months of age suck their fingers for comfort when they are bored, upset, tired, or want to sleep. And therefore, to get rid of such a habit, they need completely different measures than babies of the first year of life with a strong sucking reflex.

Thumb sucking

In most cases, children suck on their thumbs. If this habit takes root and the child continues to suck his thumb after the age of 4 years, there is a great risk of malocclusion, as well as speech. The problem is that when sucking, the skin of the finger becomes coarse and can even become inflamed. Prolonged sucking can also lead to finger deformity.

Thumb sucking becomes especially dangerous after age 4

Effect on tooth growth

It is not uncommon for babies who suck their thumbs to have their upper milk teeth protrude slightly forward in the front, while the teeth at the bottom tilt back slightly. The longer the child sucks his thumb, the more pronounced will be the displacement of the teeth. In many ways, the position of the teeth will be determined by the position of the finger in the mouth during sucking. However, it should be noted that this action does not affect the permanent teeth in any way if the child stopped sucking his thumb before the age of six.

How can you not wean?

In ways to wean from thumb sucking, parents show considerable ingenuity, but it is not recommended to do the following with the baby:

Smear your finger with aloe juice, mustard, bitter varnish or something else with a very unpleasant taste.
Bandage fingers and tie hands.
Wear tight mittens or sew them to the shirt.
Screaming at the child, forcing him to remove his finger.
Threaten or punish.

Proper weaning from thumb sucking requires a lot of patience, "quick" methods will be detrimental to the child.

Why can't you link?

The binding of the hands of the baby and other restrictive measures make the baby suffer. In addition, such actions will not save the baby from sucking his thumb. As soon as the mother stops tying her hands or smearing her finger with something unpleasant, the baby will return to his habit and will suck even more intensively than before the bondage, because he will need to calm himself.

What do we have to do?

Thumb sucking should be dealt with immediately as soon as parents notice such actions of the baby. Babies of the first three or four months of life are especially in need of sucking, and after six months, in most children, the sucking instinct begins to decrease. And therefore, babies make their first attempts to suck their fingers up to 3 months. A little later, all babies begin to suck and bite their fingers because of cutting teeth. This behavior should be distinguished from thumb sucking.

If the baby is breastfeeding, the duration of breastfeeding should be increased to 30-40 minutes. In cases where the mother gives the baby both breasts at once for one feeding, she should keep the baby at the first breast as long as possible. The artificial baby needs to choose the right nipple for the bottle so that the baby sucks the formula for a long time.

It is not recommended to reduce the number of feedings in a baby who sucks his thumb. On the contrary, sometimes you need to add one feeding, which over time can be canceled.

In children older than a year, the reason for this behavior should be investigated. Perhaps the child lacks the society of peers, toys, communication with his mother. Try to protect the little one from various stresses, and also increase the physical contact of the mother with the baby.

Care, attention, love and joint games can wean the baby from sucking fingers

If a 3-6 year old child is still sucking his thumb, talk to him as an equal. Take your child to the dentist, let him tell you why thumb sucking is harmful. Also tell your baby that this habit is only suitable for small children, focusing on the fact that the child who has stopped sucking his thumb becomes quite an adult.

Finding an alternative

Parents can:

Teach your child to calm down in a different way, for example, express their own feelings in words, read a book, sit in the arms of their mother.
Give your child a toy that he can knead with his fingers, such as a small rubber ball.
Make a cute manicure for a little fashionista, similar to her mother's, which you don't want to spoil.
Toddlers can be offered a teether, which will be an alternative to thumb sucking.

At what age does this become a problem?

A finger-sucking baby practically does not cause anxiety in adults. If the child is already a year old, and he continues to suck his thumb, parents begin to worry, but there is no need to worry too much. Often such sucking is still a reflex and an unwanted habit quickly becomes a thing of the past if adults understand its cause and help the baby.

Many children themselves stop sucking their fingers after a year.

The situation becomes more serious if a 3-4-year-old toddler sucks his finger. First of all, you need to assess the psychological state of the baby, because such behavior can have very serious reasons. And getting rid of the addiction to suck a finger over the age of 3 years is already more difficult, and the risk of a negative effect on teeth and speech increases.

secrets

The main secret is that if the mother is already falling into despair in her desire to wean the baby from such a bad habit, in her opinion, she should stop. Thumb sucking is indeed a wake-up call that needs to be addressed. But it should not be considered a catastrophe that should be urgently dealt with.

Be patient and act consistently. Try to create the most favorable conditions for the development and life of the baby. The well-being of babies depends only on the parents. And if mom understands this, then the chances of successfully saying goodbye to the habit of thumb sucking will increase.

If the child actively sucks only the thumb, you can offer him not to deprive other fingers, but to suck them too. Many children, when trying to complete an errand, get so tired of sucking their fingers that they stop doing it altogether.

Weaning children from thumb sucking is stressful, so show understanding and love for the baby

E. Komarovsky's opinion

A well-known pediatrician, like other doctors, considers the instinctive satisfaction of the sucking reflex to be the cause of thumb sucking. He suggests switching the attention of the child to the pacifier, experimenting with different types of them. Komarovsky is sure that it is useless to simply fight against instincts. If parents “take away” a finger from a child, they certainly need to offer the baby something in return. Not to eradicate this phenomenon, but to create an alternative to it.

Prevention

To prevent the baby from starting to suck his fingers, the following actions will do:

Give the baby to breastfeed for a long time.
If the baby has a strong sucking reflex, accustom the child to a pacifier.
During teething, give the baby "teeth".
Communicate more with the baby, play, show the world around.
Constantly engage in activities that improve fine motor skills and keep your hands busy - sculpting, playing with sand, folding puzzles, building blocks, mosaics, and the like.

Ukraine, Kyiv

Hello, my son is 3.1 years old. he started sucking his thumb at 2.5 and nothing can be done. What I just didn’t smear doesn’t help. What to do with a psychologist, everything is in order. I’m very nervous, and we also speak very badly.

13/08/2014 11:53

Russia, Schelkovo

16/04/2014 23:34

Ukraine, Kyiv

Girls, my daughter is now 2.4 years old. Finger sucking from 2-3 months. She refused the pacifier, I did not particularly insist. The farther, the more often the finger began to accompany us: falls asleep, gets hungry, misses (especially in the car), offended ...
And the mazolka did not interfere with her, and the fact that it itches. Tried with adhesive plaster, mustard, pepper, Nekusaika varnish. They didn't give any result. The patch is torn off, the rest is wiped off or licked.
IT HELPED US: silicone fingertip DR. THUMB (http://www.drthumb.co.uk/). They deliver, I contacted them. But I found it in Ukraine, so I didn’t order from the site. Read - there are 2 sizes for toddlers and older kids.
Or you can simply sew a mitten to the sleeve of your pajamas. One of my pajamas is now sewn on (and not cotton, but some kind of woolen) and I don’t wear a fingertip.
Of course, my daughter had a row for a week, it was very difficult to fall asleep. I broke my daytime sleep several times, because there was no finger. Well, here you need to endure and understand what is more important for you. I sang songs and read stories. It is necessary to ensure that the finger on the other handle does not start sucking for lack of a loved one. And try to saturate the day with various activities (rather than console with the help of watching cartoons), so that the child is physically tired and falls down. It helps me a lot so far to put her to sleep quite calmly. She is very tired, there is little chance of not falling asleep;)))
I wish you perseverance and patience :)

23/12/2013 17:33

Moldova, Kishinev

My baby is 10 months old, he almost always sucks his thumb, and if he pulls it out, he starts to cry. Anyone had any experience? Has anyone weaned a child from thumb sucking at that age? Thanks a lot.

08/12/2013 18:21

Kazakhstan, Astana

My daughter is 3 months old, we have an alternative to the fingers, the whole cam in the mouth)))))) from the nipple is a gag reflex. And right after the breast - a fist, like a dessert or an additive! so there can be no talk of dissatisfaction, since we eat for quite a long time! And I don't even know what to do!

16/01/2013 19:19

Russia Moscow

Elena M., if you give breasts every time the child puts his finger in his mouth, the child will overeat. Read carefully what the doctor writes. And this does not mean at all that I should immediately offer the baby food.

03/12/2012 11:25

Ukraine, Kyiv

Something surprised me with the doctor's answer. As far as I understand, the sucking reflex is given to the baby for food. And if he uses this instinct, then he requires food, and not a nipple-finger-something else. So what's the point? He will not receive food from a pacifier. And from the finger. Well, yes, you can deceive - use instinct for other purposes. But what's the point? If my husband satisfied some instinct with a rubber doll, then I would not have a son or a daughter ... In general, in my opinion - he wants to suck - to give breasts.

30/11/2012 19:56

Ukraine, Simferopol

girls, this may be heredity. our dad sometimes sleeps with his finger still. although he is already 30 years old. and our baby began to suck him from 2 months and I won’t do anything anymore. I offered different pacifiers. It’s all useless!

16/11/2012 16:06

Russia, Kazan

My son is 5 months old, from 3-4 months the finger is his best friend (((I follow it as best I can during the day, on the advice of the EOC I try to accustom it to a dummy, run, change my finger to it, but he either spits it out or pulls it out, but that’s all but during the day there’s nothing ... but at night I don’t know what to do - I used to sleep great, wake up only to eat, and from about 3 months old I started sleeping restlessly, fiddling like a worm in a dream and immediately, without even waking up, starts sucking my thumb! I don’t even have to get up to calm him down - all the same, my finger is faster (I tried, of course - as soon as I heard sucking at night, I jumped and gave breasts, but more than a week passed - the result is zero, I just didn’t sleep at night ... I put it with me - the same thing - only he fidgets - I'm for the tit, and the finger is already in place ... now for several days it seems to have stopped sucking, but maybe he does it more quietly, or I'm just very tired and sleep better, I can't hear. I wanted to ask for advice - if to accustom to a pacifier, then how to act at night - to put something on your hands, but how it is imported, then give a pacifier? Then you still have to get up often, almost the same thing as with the chest turns out ... And yet - probably you need to find out the reason for such anxiety in a dream? I just read so much about these fingers - I really want to wean them, but I'm afraid of the nights, because even if I wean them from my finger, the reason why he rushes to suck him at night in a dream will not disappear ... a vicious circle in general ... I envy my mothers, which children can fall asleep on their own, mine needs something to suck on - a finger, a tit or a pacifier.

The vast majority of newborns suck their fingers, and, as you can see in the pictures obtained using ultrasound, even babies in the womb do this.

Such an action is laid down by nature, because the sucking reflex is necessary so that a barely born child can survive and get food - mother's milk.

Thumb sucking for unborn babies means training. That's why a skilled baby with a trained reflex grabs with his lips everything that touches them.

The sucking reflex is so strong that often a newborn sucks his fingers, not only because of hunger, but also in order not to lose an important skill.

The interaction of the facial muscles, trigeminal, vagus and nasopharyngeal nerve trunks during sucking contributes to the stabilization of the central nervous system and the activation of the brain.

An important result of this “action” is not only an improvement in the functioning of the central nervous system of a small child, but also the evoking of such important emotions for him as a sense of security, calmness and psychological satisfaction.

Why does an older baby suck his thumb?

And if the behavior of a born baby can be explained by basic instincts, then why does a child suck his thumb at an older age? Scientists have identified several main reasons for this behavior:

Fist sucking after 6 months can be explained by the fact that the tongue and oral cavity of the child turns into a means of studying the world around and obtaining information important for development. Everything that gets into the hands, the baby sends into the mouth. This includes toys, blankets, pet tails and, naturally, your own fingers.
The obvious reason that the baby sucks his thumb is the feeling of hunger. Whether the baby is breastfed or fed formula, suckling is the only way to get food. That is, a baby who has dragged his fist into his mouth signals to his mother that he is hungry.
Excessively early weaning often leads to a situation where the child sucks his thumb. Moreover, a certain pattern is visible - the shorter the period of breastfeeding, the higher the likelihood that the baby will begin to pull the fist into his mouth.
Another reason for sucking fingers is, which is accompanied by soreness. To relieve discomfort, “scratch” irritated gums, the child drags not only fingers and a fist into his mouth, but also any other objects that are nearby.
Mother's breast for the baby is a guarantee of security, so he perceives sucking as a way to calm down, to feel safe. That is why, with any emotional discomfort, an alarming situation, the appearance of a stranger in the house, the child reaches for the finger, as a substitute for the mother's breast.
A baby at 2 years old (a little younger or a little older) may suck his thumb due to a lack of parental attention. When a child misses his mother, he subconsciously puts his finger in his mouth to compensate for the warmth of the mother's body.

There is an opinion that children who receive their mother's breasts on demand, without any restrictions, very rarely suck their fingers. This is explained simply: babies satisfy all the basic instincts and the desire to be close to their mother.

Pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky is convinced that thumb sucking is not a child's problem, but a mother's problem. It is the parents who are worried about this, especially if they hear negative comments from others.

Most often, this habit disappears on its own, unless, of course, it is fixed due to the wrong actions of mom or dad. . However, stereotypical behavior can also lead to a number of negative consequences:

When sucking fingers, various harmful microorganisms and larvae may enter the digestive tract. Of course, this does not happen at 2 months or a little later, when the child spends all the time in the crib. But with the onset of an active period, the baby begins to explore the world around him, simultaneously pushing not always clean fingers into his mouth.
According to many orthodontists, such childhood weakness is fraught with the formation of malocclusion (the front upper teeth protrude forward) and even problems with the development of speech skills. This is possible if finger sucking continues after the age of five, when milk teeth begin to fall out.
If the habit has passed into senior preschool and even primary school age, then the child will have a hard time because of the ridicule of peers. And this is already fraught with serious psychological problems and difficulties with adaptation.
Suffer from sucking and fingers. The impact of teeth, gum pressure, constant contact with saliva leads to the appearance of cracks, calluses, abrasions and deformation of the nails. Through damaged skin, pathogenic bacteria can enter the bloodstream, resulting in tissue infection and inflammation.

Thus, the ingrained habit of sucking fingers is potentially harmful to the child: both from a hygienic and psychological point of view.

How to wean the baby from this useless addiction? The choice of method will depend on the reason why the baby reaches for his fingers, his age and personality traits.

How to wean a child from thumb sucking?

More recently, there were, one might say, “old-fashioned” methods of getting rid of this negative habit. And still some well-wishers may advise an anxious mother in such very ambiguous ways as:

Some parents consider such methods quite effective, while others point out their cruelty. For example, mustard can harm the oral mucosa.

Such restrictive measures often end in a relapse of a bad habit. As soon as the parents stop tying their hands or smearing their fingers with something bitter, the baby begins to suck even more intensely in order to calm down and return a positive psychological attitude.

Parents should choose the most painless method of exterminating negative addictions. The most reasonable and obvious step is to find and eliminate the root cause for which the baby sucks his fingers.

Up to 2 years

Usually, by the beginning of the second year of life, the sucking reflex fades on its own. However, due to the dissatisfaction of the basic instinct in infancy, thumb sucking can become a habit. The rules for getting rid of addiction will depend on the way the child is fed.

If a baby feeding on mother's milk additionally sucks a finger, the mother, first of all, should make sure how correctly she has adjusted the feeding of the baby. Most likely, the reason is very simple - the child is hungry and requires his mother's breast. What to do?

Try to increase the duration of feeding. Let the baby be at the breast for more than half an hour. In this case, the suckling baby will eat up and satisfy the basic instincts.
If you give your baby both breasts during one meal, try offering them at regular intervals. That is, the second breast is given only after the baby sucks the first one for 25 minutes.
You don't have to worry about your baby overeating. No matter how much he is near the mother's breast, he will take the amount of milk that is necessary for complete saturation.
If the baby is distracted by something during feeding, you do not need to turn off the meal. Wait a little, and the child will return to his mother's breast.

If possible, minimize the feeding process gradually. At first, you need to reduce the number of daytime feedings, and only then move on to nighttime ones. This will allow the child to calmly survive weaning.

If the child is an artificial person, then weaning from a bad habit will be carried out in several other ways. In the case of IV, children are fed according to a certain schedule, and a portion of the mixture is dosed. How to act in such a situation?

If the baby is teething, you need to purchase a high-quality teether with an additional cooling element. This device will help the child to give up fingers.

In general, the advice of experts regarding the habit of sucking fingers at this age boils down to satisfying the sucking reflex. A mother's breast, a bottle of formula, or an orthodontic pacifier can come to the rescue.

2 to 5 years

When a baby is 2 or 3 years old, the factors that make him suck his thumb are no longer associated with reflexive behavior. At the forefront are the psychological causes of obsessive behavior.

Among the main reasons for the formation of a bad habit or its return, experts identify the following "catalysts":

dysfunctional family environment;
strict methods of education;
lack of mother's attention;
problems with getting used to kindergarten;
psycho-emotional overload;
fears.

Before proceeding to solve the problem, you need to establish its true cause. This can be done on your own by analyzing your own and children's behavior, or you can contact a specialist who at the same time will tell you how to wean the baby from sucking a finger. General recommendations are:

Pay more attention to your child. Read books, communicate, engage in outdoor games, play a small ball more often to keep children's fingers busy. In general, give the child warmth and a sense of security.
Reduce emotional or intellectual stress. This is especially true for those mothers who are passionate about the idea of early childhood education. Another rule - give up the load in the evening, instead of games, enter the ritual of bathing in the bath.
Closer to the age of five, kids develop various fears and phobias: fear of the dark, monsters, fairy-tale characters. An impressionable child tends to suck his thumb and calm down. It is better to deal with this cause with the help of psychologists.
Avoid punishment, especially corporal punishment. Three-year-old children are already able to explain the reason for their behavior. In turn, they can also be told why thumb sucking is ugly and unhygienic.

If you have spent a lot of effort, but have not achieved a positive result, you should contact a psychologist or psychotherapist. A specialist will help you deal with an intractable problem.

From 5 years and older

If a child sucks his thumb even after the age of five, parents should be wary. In most cases, such a habit indicates serious psychological problems that require the intervention of professionals.

Thus, some cases of thumb-sucking in children of school and adolescence are a manifestation of obsessive-compulsive disorder arising for physiological and psychological reasons (for example, due to severe stress).

To make sure that a bad habit is a symptom of this disorder, you need to pay attention to other signs. For example, a thumb sucking child may demonstrate:

winding hair on a finger or pulling out curls;
biting nails or, for example, pencils;
scratching or pinching the skin;
obsessive cough.

Older students often demonstrate obsessive thoughts, various ritual actions, high anxiety, various fears, and a depressive mood.

Naturally, to make or exclude such a diagnosis, you need to contact a neurologist or psychiatrist. The specialist will prescribe the necessary medicines and psychotherapeutic procedures - play, cognitive or art therapy.

Parents in such a situation should follow the following recommendations of specialists:

provide a comfortable home environment;
prevent emotional and intellectual overstrain, so as not to aggravate the course of the disease;
refuse to focus children's attention on sucking fingers and other obsessive actions;
track every change in children's behavior.

To scold the baby for such addictions, of course, should not be. Punishment will only increase the manifestation of negative symptoms and lengthen the recovery period.

As a conclusion

You need to unlearn this bad habit, but if nothing works, then you should stop and take a breath. Thumb sucking is, of course, a disturbing sign that requires an adult response. However, it cannot be considered a disaster.

The choice of the preferred method will depend on several factors, including the age of the child, the causes of the negative addiction. It is better to avoid harsh methods like smearing fingers with mustard or tying hands.

Thus, the process of weaning the habit of thumb sucking can take a long time. And yet you should not despair. Mom needs to gain strength and patience, and the baby will definitely give up the idea of \u200b\u200bpulling the fist into her mouth very soon.

Seeing your baby on the screen using an ultrasound machine is happiness for every mother. And if the baby sucks her tiny finger, then there is no limit to tenderness. What to do if this habit migrates from mother's tummy to conscious life? Should I be worried? How to wean a child to suck his thumb? Or wait until it all goes away? About this - in our today's article.

From this article you will learn

Reasons for thumb sucking

With the birth of a baby, his reflexes and instincts are born. Many of them are quite understandable to mom: crying - wants to eat or it's time to change a diaper, rubs her eyes - it's time to sleep. Why does a baby suck his thumb? There are several reasons for this:

And in this short video pediatrician Yulia Rogozina will tell you about the main causes of thumb sucking and how to get rid of this habit.

Age features

Babies under 1 year old

If the baby sucks his finger, then this is the influence of a still strong sucking reflex. It manifests itself more significantly than usual, with tension and stressful situations. This habit can occur during weaning.

Poor or disturbed sleep gives rise to fatigue that does not go away in order to somehow help himself - the child calms himself by sucking. Take a closer look at your baby, check if he is sleeping for the hours he is supposed to. It is worth adjusting the daily routine, as this habit will disappear by itself.

From 1 year to 3 years

At this age, if the child still puts his finger in his mouth, then we can talk about psychological reasons. Catalysts can be: a tense situation in the house, strict upbringing, lack of tactile contact with parents.

Getting used to the garden is a moment that rarely passes without tears and fears, help your baby to adapt gently and painlessly. Before weaning a child at this age from an already bad habit, it is worth getting to the bottom of the origins of its appearance.

Children 3-5 years old

The first fears appear - the darkness, dogs, cartoon characters. A large amount of incoming information can cause emotional overload. Often, babies are either afraid to tell adults about their experiences, or suffer from something unconsciously.

In these cases, it is worth talking about obsessive behavior, which is expressed in thumb sucking. Weaning from a bad habit will be difficult, you need to choose gentle methods of struggle.

Over 5 years old

If a five-year-old child is seen sucking his thumb, then this is a reason to be wary and seek help from professionals. Often in such situations, one can observe winding hair around a finger, biting nails, scratching the skin, and even an obsessive cough.

All this indicates the presence of neurological or psychological problems (for example, hidden aggression, suppressed emotions of resentment or guilt), which need to be addressed as quickly as possible, otherwise they can lead to psychosomatic illnesses.

At what age does your child suck his thumb?

Poll Options are limited because JavaScript is disabled in your browser.

Harmful or not

Entering the body of pathogenic viruses, microbes and worms, dangerous for the work of the gastrointestinal tract in particular and health in general.
Due to the constant exposure of the teeth, gums and saliva to the skin of the hands cracks, blisters, abrasions may appear. The infection introduced into them can provoke inflammation of the tissues. There is a possibility of deformation of the nails.
Problems with socialization. Giggles and mockery in the direction of a child sucking a finger are provided, and new stress will only add a reason for a bad habit.
The formation of a malocclusion will entail impaired pronunciation of sounds.

What absolutely cannot be done

Fix hands. Many parents go so far as to put special bracelets on their child's hands or, even worse, use mittens. Is it worth talking about the psychological consequences of binding? Psychosomatics and treatment of neuroses in the future are guaranteed.
Hit on the hands. Assault, even in a mild form, will not bring any benefit, but will only add new problems: removal from parents → fear of punishment → immersion in oneself → isolation.
Smear your hands with something tasteless. In no case should you smear mustard, hot pepper, soap on your hands. All these products, once on the delicate mucous membrane, will cause a burn.
Pull your hand out of your mouth on your own. If you yourself pull the baby's hand out of the mouth, then the child may perceive this as a fun game and attract your attention in this way even more often.

Weaning from a bad habit

Watch the video in which child psychologist, perinatal psychologist Natalya Movchan talks in great detail about how to overcome the habit of thumb sucking in children of different ages.

From the previous paragraph it is clear that if you adopt "grandmother's" methods, then you can easily harm both psychological and moral. To get rid of the “habit of putting everything in your mouth”, you must, firstly, find the reason why this finger strives to find a secluded place. And secondly, you need to act according to the age of the child.

Children under 2 years old

The age at which the sucking reflex gradually fades. The method of struggle will depend on the feeding option.

If it's breastfeeding, then it is necessary to provide the child with access to the breast on demand. You should not follow the opinion that it is enough to spend 10 minutes at the chest to saturate. Extend the feeding time as much as your baby wishes.

Important! If you offer two breasts for one feeding, then give the second only after half an hour. So you will be sure that the baby is full, got to the rear fat milk and satisfied his sucking reflex. Let him fall asleep at your chest.

Weaning should take place delicately, preferably not less than six months in advance, otherwise tantrums and whims cannot be avoided. During this time, you gradually cancel one daytime feeding, then move on to nighttime. Remember that WHO recommends breastfeeding until the child is 2 years old.

Artificial feeding milk mixture occurs according to an average schedule. You have the right to focus not on the norms, but on the behavior of your baby. If necessary, the intervals between feedings should be reduced.

Choose a bottle with a hard nipple and fewer holes. This trick will increase the time of eating, which means that the sucking reflex will be satisfied. Artificial children can be offered a nipple made of good material, corresponding to orthodontic ideas.

Children from 2 to 5 years old

As already mentioned, thumb sucking at this age is psychological in nature. It is better to seek help from a specialist, if this is not possible, use the general recommendations:

The habit of holding a finger in the mouth, preserved after 5 years, should alert parents. Most often, this is a signal about the presence of psychological problems of a different nature: neurosis and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Here you can't do it on your own. Only a good psychologist is able to get to the origins of this habit and help get out.

Parents who are faced with such manifestations need to carefully monitor the child, notice all the little things in behavior. There are frequent cases when thumb sucking was subsequently aggravated by anxiety, apathy, and depression.

A psychiatrist or neurologist will be able to choose drugs and techniques that will once again make the baby cheerful, active and cheerful. But only thanks to the relationship between doctors and parents can a good result be expected. You, in turn, must maintain a favorable environment at home, make sure that there is no emotional and physical overstrain.

Important! Remember that focusing on a bad habit and punishing it will only aggravate the situation. Be more patient and attentive, surround your baby with love and attention, spend more time with each other, and all adversity will be on your shoulder.

Find an alternative

Dr. Komarovsky says that the fight against instincts and reflexes cannot end in victory. If you already take a finger from a child, then it is worth offering an alternative option.

Prevention

breast feeding on demand The best prevention for thumb sucking. It satisfies not only the sucking reflex, but also contributes to the rapprochement of mother and child, the establishment of close bodily contact, and prevents the appearance of fears and anxiety.
With artificial feeding choose a good quality pacifier for your baby. Remember that the size of the pacifier depends on the age of the child. An incorrectly fitted pacifier can lead to a malocclusion.
Give the baby beautiful teethers, then the process of teething will be easier.
Development of fine motor skills has a beneficial effect on mental abilities, harmonious physical development, the formation of speech. And most importantly, it occupies hands with useful and interesting things: assembling a designer, folding puzzles, playing in the sandbox.

If nothing helps

More recently, an unusual device has appeared on the children's goods market - a nozzle from the habit of children sucking their thumbs. It looks like this.

We agree that not everyone will like the aesthetic appearance of the invention and the presence of something superfluous on the child’s hand, but agree that this is better than seeing the baby’s finger constantly sucked to meat and blood.

Nozzles are produced by different manufacturers and different modifications, but the principle of using them is approximately the same.

In this video you can learn a little more about this device.

More detailed information is available on the manufacturer's website: http://dr-thumb.ru/

You can read real reviews about using this device on the Otzovik website.

We wish you and your child the absence of all kinds of bad habits, health and always good mood.

IMPORTANT! *when copying article materials, be sure to indicate an active link to the first

Remember with what tenderness you looked at your baby sucking his thumb on an ultrasound. But what seemed so sweet during pregnancy or the first months of a child's life, after a year, qualifies as a bad habit, which is not only desirable, but must be fought. It's time for you to find out why thumb sucking is dangerous for a baby and how to wean a child from sucking a thumb.

Causes of a habit

You may notice that almost all babies suck their fingers, and there is a physiological explanation for this. As a rule, at the same time, the phenomenon disappears in infancy by itself. Another thing is a psychological factor, or even a pathological one.

Physiology of thumb sucking

Just imagine that the process of sucking fingers involves the central nervous system, the brain, not to mention all the muscles and nerve endings on the face.

Fingers in the mouth with a loud smacking are a clear hint to you that the baby is hungry;
Your baby can actively pull his fingers into his mouth and at the time of teething. It is impossible to say the exact time when this will happen, since the gums can swell both at three and 12 months. Read about the age of teething in the article Teething in children >>>

Psychological reasons

Thumb sucking by a baby can also have a psychological explanation.

Doctors can also associate this habit with neurological disorders associated with sleep disorders, general weakness, as well as previous colds.

Age features of the habit

It is possible to talk about sucking as a bad habit after the celebration of the first year of birth.

In yearlings, thumb sucking is a reflex. In this case, the reason is either weaning, or the increased stress to which his nervous system is subjected;

This behavior is typical for children who sleep poorly / little / anxiously. If this is about your child, then be sure to start working on improving your child's sleep at the rate of sleep.

This is an online course that you can take while at home. By acting consistently, in 2 weeks you will help your child learn to fall asleep easily and sleep peacefully all night. Follow the link: How to quickly put the child to sleep?>>>

Over the age of 2, it's time to call thumb sucking a bad habit. The reason is already psychological, and the finger in this case is a means of calming. It's time to think about how to wean a child at 2 years old to suck his thumb;
A three-year-old toddler with a finger in his mouth is a phenomenon that can be explained by the first trips to the garden. The reason is psychological: the baby lacks your attention, he worries that he is left in an unfamiliar place;

4-5 years - the time of the first fears and phobias. If the baby, who had not put his finger in his mouth before, began to suck it, it's time to talk with the child and find out what is bothering him.
Thumb sucking over the age of 5 is a pathology associated with neurosis, phobias, and self-doubt. Observe if there are any associated bad habits, maybe the child bites his nails or pencils, winds his hair or the edge of the dress around his finger. An active sucker needs your help.

You need to fight bad habits, but you don’t have to wave your saber. At any age, it is necessary to move away from threats, instead, give the child more attention and affection.

The main principle of the fight against any bad habit is to find the cause and eliminate it at the first sign.

Breastfed baby

If your baby is breastfed, then the plan of action for weaning a child from sucking a finger in a year is extremely simple: breastfeed, do not limit the baby's sucking time, but at the same time keep clear boundaries in your relationship with your child. The nipple will not only not help to solve the problem, but will also aggravate the dependence on sucking, since in its absence, the baby will suck his finger even more actively.

artificial child

When, due to circumstances, you are forced to refuse breastfeeding, feed your baby more often, perhaps fingers in your mouth are a signal of hunger;
Pay attention to the bottle you give your baby. Orthodontic tight nipples should be a priority so that the baby fully satisfies his sucking reflex;
But when teething, ointments for gums and teethers with a cooling effect will help (there is an article on this topic on the site: Gels for teething >>>);
Do not forget about tactile contact, do not be afraid to carry the child in your arms, the time will come and he will want independence, and now he needs you.

Thumb sucking by children 2-5 years old

When asked how to wean a child from sucking his thumb at 3 years old, I can advise you to spend more time with your child.

Observe at what moments the naughty finger is in the mouth. Perhaps the child is simply bored or something does not work out for him. Take a toddler, come up with an interesting, joint pastime, draw or read books, play with mosaics or puzzles. When the baby's hands are busy, you will not notice the fingers in the mouth;
With a baby aged 2 years or more, you can seriously talk. Find out what worries him, because it is through psychological experiences that a bad habit most often arises. Explain that thumb sucking also has a harmful side, namely germs and bacteria just waiting to get into the child's body.

A good psychological move is to write a fairy tale about a hero who sucked his thumb, but was able to overcome this bad habit.

Important! But what you should not do is to threaten the child. Screaming or force will not help the cause, as well as grandmother's methods with pepper or brilliant green.

Thumb sucking in a dream

If during the waking period you can be close to the baby and control the location of the fingers, then in a dream it will be more difficult to do this. Popular suggestions on how to wean a child from sucking a finger in a dream are to block access to fingers with a glove or a scratch, or to smear a nail with Nekusaika varnish.

Note that this is only a technical side of the question, and you need to determine the cause of thumb sucking. Perhaps the emergence of a bad habit is associated with the transition to separate sleep, and the baby is simply afraid to sleep alone.

Offer him a favorite toy;
Buy a night light;
Do not close the door to the children's room.

By the way, you can choose a toy that would easily fit in the palm of your hand and have silicone rodent inserts (read the article