| |
 It is completely normal and healthy for your baby or young child to suck on a thumb, finger or pacifier. It's not something you need to be alarmed about or discourage. Sucking is a natural reflex and something he or she did while still in the womb.
For most infants, sucking is soothing and gives them a sense of security. Sucking and chewing on objects is also one way young babies learn about the world around them. If your baby or young child sucks, don't force him or her to stop. Right now he or she needs the security it provides.
Children often give up sucking habits on their own by the time they are four to five years old. In most cases, the jaw is unharmed and teeth grow in normally. However, some children find the sucking habit hard to break. Children who are still sucking on a pacifier, finger or thumb when their permanent, or adult, teeth start to come in are more likely to have dental problems. Sucking can cause:
- Top front teeth to slant out and bottom front teeth to tilt in
- The upper and lower jaws to be misaligned
- The roof of the mouth to be malformed
The amount of damage that is done is determined by the intensity, frequency and duration of the child's sucking. A child who walks around most of the day sucking a pacifier so hard you can hear it probably will have more dental damage than a child who falls asleep while sucking his or her thumb more passively.
Children handle stress in different ways. Like babies and young children, older children find thumb and finger sucking soothing, too. In order to help an older child break the sucking habit, it's important to find out why he or she is doing it. What stressful situations is he or she trying to deal with? Family and social factors can impact an older child's well being. Is there a stressful situation at home or school? Some children also suck for attention, even if it's negative attention. Usually when a parent knows why the child is sucking, he or she can address the situation and try to correct it. When that stressor is gone, the child often finds it easier to give up sucking.
Sometimes it also helps if the dentist explains to an older child what sucking can do to the teeth and jaw. This, along with positive reinforcement from the parents, is often enough to get the child to break the habit. If this doesn't work, there are dental appliances that a child can wear in the mouth to prevent sucking.
The good news is that thumb, finger and pacifier sucking usually do not cause dental problems for babies and young children. Let them enjoy the sense of security that sucking provides, since most give it up before they enter school. For older children who still suck, find out what's bothering them. Help them deal with these stressors so that they don't need to suck any more. Remember, sucking helps children deal emotionally with many complex issues. It's much easier to fix dental problems than it is to heal an injured psyche.
Pacifier Tips
If your child uses a pacifier, make sure it is safe. For instance:
- Never fasten a pacifier on a string or necklace around your child's neck. This is very dangerous because your baby could accidentally be strangled
- Choose a pacifier that:
o is one piece rather than several parts
o has two ventilating holes on the sides
o is large enough so that your child can't swallow it
o is made of a flexible, nontoxic material
o has a handle that is easy to grasp
- Always check the pacifier before giving it to your child. Make sure there are no holes or tears. If there are, replace it
- Never dip a pacifier in honey or any other sweet substance before giving it to your baby. This could lead to serious tooth decay
Tips To Help Your Child Stop Sucking
It is easier to get a child to stop sucking a pacifier than a thumb, since a parent can simply get rid of the pacifier. You can't do that with a thumb. Here are a few ways parents can encourage their child to quit sucking a finger or thumb:
- Use positive reinforcement. Do not punish the child for the habit. Ignore the child when he or she sucks. Praise and lavish attention on your child when he or she isn't sucking
- Offer a reward, like a sticker or a star on a chart, each day he or she is successful
- For the child who wants to stop, it is sometimes helpful to put a band-aid on the finger as a reminder. He or she also may want to wear a mitten when sleeping
- Take the finger out of the mouth after the child falls asleep
2002 InteliHealth Inc. All rights reserved. |
|
Personal Care
