It’s a hard habit to break, but it can be done. We’re talking about the dreaded thumbsucking. Parents – take heart. Eventually, the time is going to come, probably just not soon enough. Research shows that 30 percent of preschool children still suck their thumbs, although most outgrow it by the age of 5. The habit becomes more serious once children get their permanent teeth, which is usually between the ages of 4 and 6.Thumbsucking can contribute to a number of problems including poor tongue placement, speech impediments, overbites, swallowing issues and more. Here are some ways that might help break the habit before it becomes too serious. Stop pressuring your child to quit – this only makes him do it more. Open communication with your child to find out why he is sucking his thumb – are there insecurity issues that need to be addressed?

Set up a reward program for when your child keeps his thumb out of his mouth. For example, present him with a sticker for every day that he can go without sucking. Once he’s accumulated a set number of stickers, allow him to buy a toy or something special that he will associate with abstaining from thumbsucking. Put a Band-Aid or tape on the tip of the thumb. Reward your child with verbal praise when you notice that the child isn’t sucking. At bedtime, put a sock on his thumb to discourage thumbsucking at night. Explain to your child the ramifications of thumbsucking – germs, braces, retainers. You can also try applying non-toxic nail coating such as Thum. Use it in the morning and at night. Of course, your plan of action may call for a combination of more than one of these approaches. Eventually your child will outgrow the habit. After all, how many adults to you see walking around with their thumbs in their mouths?