.JPG)
raina started sucking her thumb when she was around 6 months old... she may turn to her thumb when she feels hungry & thirsty! so i will offer her milk first, then i will give her biscuit or water if she doesn't want milk! if she got bored, she would go searching her bolster and has some “thumbsucking time”... sometimes, but not always she would suck her thumb before falling asleep.
sometimes i worried about her habit but sometimes i let her do thumbsucking as i know that will comforts her... still, there's other people worry about her too heheh too much mak angkat kat nurseri tu
Why it happens
Toddlers suck their thumbs because it's comforting and calming. Your toddler probably practiced this habit while he was still in the womb and perfected it as an infant. Now he may turn to his thumb when he's tired, scared, bored, sick, or trying to adjust to challenges such as starting preschool or going on a long car ride. He may also use his thumb to fall asleep at bedtime and to lull himself back to sleep when he wakes up in the middle of the night.
What to do about it
Don't worry. The American Dental Association says most children can safely suck their thumb — without damaging the alignment of their teeth or jaws — until their permanent teeth begin to appear. (Permanent teeth don't usually erupt until around age 6.) Also, not all children's thumb-sucking is equally damaging. Experts say it's the intensity of the sucking and the tongue's thrust that deforms teeth and makes braces necessary later. Children who rest their thumb passively in their mouth are less likely to have difficulty than children who suck aggressively. Watch your child and analyze his technique. If he sucks vigorously, you may want to begin curbing his habit earlier, say at age 4.
If your child's thumb becomes red and chapped from sucking, you can try applying a moisturizing ointment, cream, or lotion while he's sleeping. (If you apply it while he's awake, it may just end up in his mouth.).
Let it go. Nagging or punishing your child won't help, because he doesn't usually realize when he's sucking away. Besides, pressuring him to stop may intensify his desire to do it even more. And techniques such as putting an elastic bandage on his thumb will seem like unjust punishment, especially since he indulges in the habit for comfort and security. Try to wait it out. Children usually give up thumb-sucking when they've found other ways to calm and comfort themselves, says pediatrician Suzanne Dixon. For example, while a toddler who's hungry may suck his thumb, an older child (age 3 or 4) might simply open the refrigerator and look for something to eat or ask his parents for a snack instead.
Preempt the thumb-sucking with other activities. If you can identify times and places when your child is particularly likely to suck his thumb — while watching television, for example — you might try giving him a substitute, such as a rubber ball to bounce or puppets to play with. If he tends to suck his thumb when he's tired, work more naps into his schedule. Or if he turns to it when he's frustrated, help him put his feelings into words. The key is to notice when and where sucking occurs, and divert his attention by offering an alternative.
If your child's thumb becomes red and chapped from sucking, you can try applying a moisturizing ointment, cream, or lotion while he's sleeping. (If you apply it while he's awake, it may just end up in his mouth.).
Let it go. Nagging or punishing your child won't help, because he doesn't usually realize when he's sucking away. Besides, pressuring him to stop may intensify his desire to do it even more. And techniques such as putting an elastic bandage on his thumb will seem like unjust punishment, especially since he indulges in the habit for comfort and security. Try to wait it out. Children usually give up thumb-sucking when they've found other ways to calm and comfort themselves, says pediatrician Suzanne Dixon. For example, while a toddler who's hungry may suck his thumb, an older child (age 3 or 4) might simply open the refrigerator and look for something to eat or ask his parents for a snack instead.
Preempt the thumb-sucking with other activities. If you can identify times and places when your child is particularly likely to suck his thumb — while watching television, for example — you might try giving him a substitute, such as a rubber ball to bounce or puppets to play with. If he tends to suck his thumb when he's tired, work more naps into his schedule. Or if he turns to it when he's frustrated, help him put his feelings into words. The key is to notice when and where sucking occurs, and divert his attention by offering an alternative.
Is it true that sucking on a pacifier or thumb ruins a child's teeth or bite?
No, not unless it continues into the preschool years.
It's perfectly healthy and natural for a baby to suck, and fingers or a pacifier can come in very handy for soothing. A child is most likely to enjoy thumb-sucking or a pacifier during the years when she has her baby teeth, and there's no reason to worry about long-term problems with the teeth or jaw at that point.
It's a good idea to discourage thumb-sucking and pacifier use before your child gets permanent teeth, though. Continued sucking after that time can lead to problems with the front teeth tipping outward or not developing properly.
Permanent teeth usually start showing up by age 4 to 6, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that parents help children put a stop to these habits by age 3.
If your child enjoys sucking on a pacifier or her fingers, talk with her dentist. He can monitor her jaw and teeth to make sure that they're developing properly. One thing that's bad for your child's teeth at any age: dipping that pacifier in something sweet.
It's perfectly healthy and natural for a baby to suck, and fingers or a pacifier can come in very handy for soothing. A child is most likely to enjoy thumb-sucking or a pacifier during the years when she has her baby teeth, and there's no reason to worry about long-term problems with the teeth or jaw at that point.
It's a good idea to discourage thumb-sucking and pacifier use before your child gets permanent teeth, though. Continued sucking after that time can lead to problems with the front teeth tipping outward or not developing properly.
Permanent teeth usually start showing up by age 4 to 6, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that parents help children put a stop to these habits by age 3.
If your child enjoys sucking on a pacifier or her fingers, talk with her dentist. He can monitor her jaw and teeth to make sure that they're developing properly. One thing that's bad for your child's teeth at any age: dipping that pacifier in something sweet.
How to stop thumbsucking?
Instructions
Step 1
Give your child extra attention and observe if conflicts or anxiety provoke thumb sucking. If so, help him find more healthful ways to deal with stress.
Step 1
Give your child extra attention and observe if conflicts or anxiety provoke thumb sucking. If so, help him find more healthful ways to deal with stress.
Step 2
Reward your child for progress made towards her goal. Don't think of it as a bribe because it's something she earned through effort.
Reward your child for progress made towards her goal. Don't think of it as a bribe because it's something she earned through effort.
Step 3
Paint something that taste bad on his thumb, like vinegar or pickle juice. Don't do it forcefully or without his permission, but as a way of helping him achieve his goal. Then when he's engaged in television and sticks his thumb in his mouth out of habit, the bad taste will quickly remind him of what he's trying to accomplish.
Paint something that taste bad on his thumb, like vinegar or pickle juice. Don't do it forcefully or without his permission, but as a way of helping him achieve his goal. Then when he's engaged in television and sticks his thumb in his mouth out of habit, the bad taste will quickly remind him of what he's trying to accomplish.
Step 4
Distract your child when you see her putting her thumb in her mouth. If you engage her in an activity that requires both hands, she'll have to take her thumb out of her mouth to do the task.
Distract your child when you see her putting her thumb in her mouth. If you engage her in an activity that requires both hands, she'll have to take her thumb out of her mouth to do the task.
Step 5
Invite friends over that don't suck their thumbs for frequent play dates. Peer pressure is a powerful motivator and if he surrounds himself with kids who don't suck their thumbs, it will be easier for him to not suck his.
Invite friends over that don't suck their thumbs for frequent play dates. Peer pressure is a powerful motivator and if he surrounds himself with kids who don't suck their thumbs, it will be easier for him to not suck his.
should i buy this for her?
Mavala Stop-Nail Biting and Thumb Sucking Prevention
2 comments:
Kakak Iman dulu 3 mth dah hisap jari. Akak Just cabut jari dia dr mulut dan ckp2 sikit kalau nampak dia buat. Ntah, dlm umur 1 thn dah hilang tabiat tu.
k.seri, dah cabut jari die tapi die nangis beria2! ade lg cara nak buat tak?
Post a Comment