Thumb-sucking is an incredibly common childhood habit. However, many first-time parents wonder if it should be a concern. Here’s what thumb-sucking means for your child’s development and how you can support healthy habits.

Why Thumb-Sucking Happens

Most infants display non-nutritive habits like sucking their thumbs, fingers, or pacifiers from birth. In fact, up to 73% of kids under five in the U.S. engage in it at some point. It’s a habit that helps newborns feel secure, relaxed and comforted.

Sucking a digit can be a way for children to calm themselves when they’re tired, hungry, or feeling uncertain. For most, it’s a phase that fades as they grow.

The Good: The Positive Side of Thumb-Sucking

In the early years, thumb-sucking has several benefits. For one, it can encourage self-soothing and independence, which helps young ones learn to manage their emotions. This is particularly helpful during big transitions, such as starting daycare or meeting new people.

Additionally, thumb sucking can be a useful sleep aid for babies and toddlers who haven’t yet learned other methods of winding down. Since it’s such a natural behavior, there’s generally no need to worry in the first few years. Many kids naturally stop thumb-sucking between the ages of 2 and 4 as they find other ways to self-soothe.

The Bad: When Thumb-Sucking Becomes a Concern

When thumb sucking goes beyond the toddler stage, it can raise some issues. Parents should start intervening if their child is 4 years old but continues sucking their thumb to avoid bite and speech problems.

You can gently start encouraging other ways to self-soothe. Positive reinforcement and distraction tactics are often the best ways to help a child break the habit.

Potential Dental and Speech Issues

When sucking of a digit persists past early childhood, it can alter the alignment of teeth and the
structure of the jaw, leading to a variety of dental issues, including:

• Overbite: Where the upper teeth stick out further than the lower teeth
• Open bite: A gap between the upper and lower front teeth when the mouth is closed
• Crossbite: The top back teeth bite in front of the lower ones

In the U.S., anterior open bite and posterior crossbite are the most reported dental issues attributed to lengthy non-nutritive sucking practices. Speech development may also be impacted.

When to Seek Professional Advice

If thumb sucking continues even after your young one starts school and all at-home interventions have failed, consider reaching out to oral health professionals for guidance. Pediatric dentists can offer recommendations.

These highly trained experts will suggest age-appropriate techniques that make thumb-sucking less appealing. A behavioral therapist can also help children learn alternative ways to calm down without relying on digit sucking.

How to Gently Encourage Your Child to Stop

If you feel it’s time to help your little one stop thumb-sucking, try approaching it in a gentle and supportive way. Here are a few strategies that can help:

• Create distractions: Offer alternatives to shift their focus, such as a stuffed animal, soft blanket, or other comforting object.
• Explain why it’s important: For older toddlers, explain in simple terms why they should stop. Talk about keeping their smile healthy or “big kid” activities they’re ready for.
• Use positive reinforcement: Praise your child for not sucking their thumb and consider giving small rewards like stickers or extra playtime when they manage to go without it. Doing so can encourage behavior changes, but make sure the perk is something they’re interested in to get them to make an effort.
• Use a habit-breaking tool: A thumb guard or mittens can make thumb-sucking less accessible.

Tolerance is critical here, especially if it’s become an ingrained habit. Forcing the issue or using harsh methods like shaming may backfire, so it’s best to stay calm and patient.

A Balanced Approach to Childhood Habits

For most kids, thumb-sucking is a normal part of early development that fades in time. Unless it continues into school age or becomes particularly intense, there’s no need to be overly concerned.

With understanding and gentle encouragement, you can support their growth while helping them develop new ways to self-soothe. Remember to extend a bit of grace as you guide them toward healthy habits that will last into the years ahead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mia Barnes is the Editor-in-Chief at Body+Mind

Cover Photo by Kaboompics.com