Any success stories with weaning thumb sucking?

[Federica]

Dear BWs,

My daughter has got a yellow card for sucking her thumb. She will be 4 in July. She sucks her thumb since very little, thing that she really needs.

The dentist however said already her teeth are affected by it and needs to stop. It brakes my heart because she is a kid that needs to process things and she uses her thumb to help her out.

Any suggestions from your side?

Thanks in advance

[Shdef]

If it is just for bedtime, I don't think there is much you can do. Try get a second opinion from a Kiefernorthopäde and do not tell her this story:

http://www.internet-maerchen.de/maerchen/daumenlutscher.htm

 

[Federica]

Hi Steffi,

Dankeschön :O). Will definately not tell her that "children story" .

I'm afraid is not only to sleep. She sucks whenever she needs to process something. When we are reading something she wants to understand, when she get's in a tantrum and wants to calm down, etc.

Do you know any good ways or anybody else?

thanks again

[babybarr]

Will she take it out if you remind her?  I tell DS to take thumb out and say it's only for bed.  You could get the dentist to talk to her?

[munzle]

I can't offer much in the way of help here as we have found it very hard. DD is also 4 and we are on week 4 of no thumb sucking, but we are only here because she got hit in the teeth with a tennis racquet  and it hurt when she sucked her thumb. We capitalised on her misfortune and gave rewards when she carried on not sucking it. We are using stop n grow at night time to remind her not to suck, and giving lots of praise. I have found that the temptation to suck at night is very strong, but she has surprised me at how little she has tried to suck it during the day. Good luck!

[*Kara*]

Can you substitute the thumb sucking with something else - like a favourite teddy bear?

My best friend's LO was a thumb sucker and had a spiked retainer put in at the age of 6 to stop her.  It worked but was far from ideal

[Federica]

Hola,

Thanks for your ideas!

Do you think it might work if we get her a new "substitute" that she can choose, like a Teddy or something and then tell her she needs to stop (by the way Dentist told her already it was needed for her to stop) and that's why she will get some stop n grow or something to that effect?

Would that be postive way around or worth a try?

[*Kara*]

totally worth a shot for sure!

[Shdef]

Scotty's lovey Lieblingskuscheltier Kasimir has always worked as a substitute for pretty much everything. When introducing now, make up a story, maybe even a wee tearjerker, so she'll protect her wee new Kuscheltier.

[Federica]

Thank you all for your kind reponses and the time taken to answer.

We will do as posted previously and we I hope I can post a success story one day!

Kind Regards to all
Mariana