Time and again I have heard the debate over thumb sucking, finger sucking and pacifiers. I have heard parents who worried about how to control and stop it in babies and older children, as well as the debate over which form of “sucking” is better for a child (or worse.) I cannot help but wonder if this is really a big problem, and what is behind all the worry and concern?
Some parents encourage infants to suck on their thumb or fingers instead of a pacifier because it is natural, less management and it allows the child to learn to self-sooth. Other parents choose a pacifier because it allows the parent more control, can be cleaned and sterilized and can be more immediately applied as a solution to a disgruntled child. Inevitably, however, as an infant turns into a toddler and a preschooler, parents start to become distressed and wonder how to STOP the habit they helped start.
Sure, there are reasons that thumb and finger sucking can become a problem—some children might affect the way their permanent teeth come in if they do it too long and germs can be introduced into the child’s mouth this way. However, children find germs regardless and most children do eventually let go of and outgrow finger and thumb sucking on their own without parental intervention.
There is a ton of information out there for parents on how to get children to stop thumb and finger sucking—from old wives’ tales to medical suggestions. Get any group of parents together—particularly those of young ones, and you can gather quite a wealth of suggestions for how to get children to give up thumbs, fingers and pacifiers. In most cases, I have found that it is a combination of positive preparation and encouragement from the parents and a willingness to move on on the part of the child. All in all I think it helps to keep things in perspective and try to not make a huge deal out of this.