4Real Forums: Finger sucking

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Topic: Finger sucking

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mama251ders
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Posted: July 26 2008 at 5:48pm \| IP Logged

Is it really okay to let an almost 4yo suck on her fingers? I have to be totally honest and tell you that this habit really irritates me. My 3yo is a sensory seeker and I know that this is a self-organizing habit, but I hate it! Not to mention that she has already done enough damage that she will have to have orthodontic treatment for several years. Am I being a total meanie here? I am so frustrated that I can't even tell you! Agh!

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Betsie

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LLMom
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Posted: July 28 2008 at 4:30pm \| IP Logged

Most of my kids have sucked their thumb and my youngest who is almost 3 1/2 still sucks her 2 middle fingers. I usually let mine go until they stop or they are close to 5. All but 2 of mine have stopped on their own. With the other ones, I made a chart with 25 days on it. When they went 25 days in a row without sucking (we used stickers) they got to go pick out a new toy. It worked for both of these dc. They were both 5. It can be irritating, but I once heard a conference speaker say they would rather fix teeth than try to deal with insecurities.

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Lisa
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folklaur
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Posted: July 28 2008 at 5:05pm \| IP Logged

Thumb sucking is a way children comfort themselves. So, for me, I would probably not let it get to me.

mama251ders
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Posted: July 28 2008 at 6:27pm \| IP Logged

Yea, I know all of that. She has SID, so I know she needs to still do it, it is just really getting to me. It has been a really long time since I have gotten to look at her face with her fingers not there. I am weary of it and as much as I try to look past it, it still bothers me. I am sure I will get over it in time, hopefully she will too

. I was just hoping that I am not the only dragon-mama where this is concerned

!

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Betsie

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KackyK
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Posted: July 28 2008 at 8:38pm \| IP Logged

I had three thumb suckers and one fingers sucker. I too was a thumb sucker until I got my braces in the 7th grade and it hurt too much to do it. I did it only at night by that age

It drove my dh crazy!!!! He hated it worse than me (obviously I could relate!).

When ours turned 5 we told them they really needed to try to stop. Eventually, they couldn't do it on their own so we bought a thumb guard. Unfortunately it seems the price has gone up

. Anyways, it worked great for my sons. Took some time, but it stopped it totally during the day and at night, I'm not totally sure. But it did trail off and they stopped eventually at night, just took longer than the day (if you don't do the wristband tight enough they can stretch their fingers out of the guard, but they don't do that during the day because I could see them!) Oh and my finger sucker stopped all on his own before he even turned 5. He's my, I'm deciding to do something and I'll do it kid!

Anyways, I was consoled with the thought that my dh had braces for several years even though he never sucked anything. So I figured even though they have done damage, they probably wouldn't have been "perfect" anyways.

And I totally relate to feeling annoyed seeing it in there all the time...for me it was hearing the sucking!!! UGH! As they got older they wised up to curb that!

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LLMom
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Posted: July 29 2008 at 8:44am \| IP Logged

Betsie,

Does she see an OT for her SID? They have something for children who have oral difficulties. It's a thing they chew on several times throughout the day to get that oral stimulation that they need.

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Lisa
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