It may seem harmless, but thumb sucking can quickly turn into a bad habit. When a child continues sucking their thumbs after infancy, it can get in the way of emotional coping development and cause physical damage. With so many reasons to stop the bad habit, you should help your child put an end to it.

Not only can thumb sucking cause teeth malocclusion, which is when either one row or both rows are misaligned and directed outwards, it can lead to oral infections, speech impediments, and skin irritation. Moisture from the mouth can crack, peel, and rash the skin and lead to ingrown nails and callusing. Professional orthodontics may be required. Speech classes may be necessary and communication issues could result from this.

Thumb sucking is the first coping mechanism that develops when the child is an infant. It can obstruct emotional development and other coping skills. Since it may lead to communication problems, social obstacles may result. Your child may get made fun of in school and have trouble communicating their feelings. Finally, some psychologists even think that thumb sucking is an early sign of addictive behaviors that may develop in the future. This is why you should do everything in your power to help your child stop thumb sucking.

Thumb Guards

One of the best products to help your child stop thumb sucking is a thumb guard. A TGuard is a plastic cover that wraps around the wrist and prevents the child from sucking their thumbs. While the child can suck on the plastic, it won’t be as satisfying and over time they will stop sucking their thumbs because it won’t provide the comfort they were looking for when they began the habit. It is a great place to start if you are trying to help them stop.

Thumbsie

A thumbsie is a similar product made of cloth. Wrapping around the wrist and thumb, the child will still be able to suck on their thumbs but won’t be able to get to the skin. It’s not as satisfying as it would be if they were sucking their skin. While this won’t fully obstruct the thumb sucking, it will avoid the skin complications that result from it. If the thumbsie doesn’t work, using a thumb guard is a step up from the thumbsie.

Mavala Nail Polish

There is even a specialized nail polish designed to repel children from sucking their thumbs. When you paint your child’s nails with this transparent polish, they will hate the taste of it because it is bitter. Children don’t have a developed palate and therefore hate bitterness. When they go to suck their thumbs, the child will taste the polish and be discouraged from continuing the habit. Over time they will stop because they won’t be getting the satisfaction that they used to get from it.

Arm Braces

An arm brace will immobilize the arm and keep the child from sucking their thumbs. It is like a cast and limits the child from doing daily activities, but if you use the brace at strategic times an arm brace will facilitate the process. While you simply won’t be able to use it all of the time, arm braces can be used in tandem with the above products.

Elbow Stopper

Another product that will fully prohibit the child from sucking their thumbs is an elbow stopper. This product wraps around the elbow and completely stops the child from bringing their hand up to their mouth. Most kids won’t like this at all, but it is a great option when all else has failed. If you keep up with it, your child will stop sucking their thumbs because they won’t be able to do it.

Thumb sucking is a harmful habit that should be stopped as soon as possible. It doesn’t just lead to physical consequences, thumb sucking can obstruct emotional and social development. If your kid simply won’t stop on their own, utilizing these products can help. When one of them doesn’t work, you can try another or a combination of them. Should nothing work to stop your child’s thumb sucking habit, you can always seek the consultation of a professional to see what is going on.