While most children will stop the habit on their own between the ages of 2 and 4, others may need help. Here are suggestions to help your child stop sucking his or her thumb, courtesy of the American Dental Association:
- Don't scold the child when they do suck the thumb, but praise him or her when they aren't doing it.
- If your child sucks the thumb when anxious, upset or frightened, try to resolve the root of the anxiety.
- For a child old enough to understand, let him or her decide on how to break the habit.
- Have your child talk to the doctor or dentist about the damage that can be done by continuing to suck the thumb.
- Try wrapping the thumb in a bandage, a sock, or coating it with a bitter-tasting solution.
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