How to "wean" baby sucking?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Minh Tuan - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
When children suck, it stimulates the brain to produce endorphins, making them feel comfortable, excited, and relaxed. However, prolonged thumb sucking will bring many harmful effects to the health and development of children.

1. Why do children suck their thumbs?

Most babies will suck their thumb when hungry, this is a natural reflex of babies from the time they are in the womb. Baby sucking will feel comfortable, like rediscovering the feeling of breast milk and being close to mother. Gradually, the habit of thumb sucking is formed even when the child is not hungry, becoming a hobby that brings a sense of refreshment, safety and comfort to the child.
When children suck, it will stimulate the brain to produce Endorphin, an endogenous pain reliever that helps the child's body relax, giving the child a feeling of pleasure. Putting fingers in their mouths gives babies a sense of security when they're in a difficult situation like being separated from a parent or being in an unfamiliar environment. Thumb sucking helps children sleep better, so children suck often at night or when they feel tired.
Usually, after the first 6 months, sucking will gradually decrease. Most children will stop sucking by the time they are 1-2 years old, but about 15% will continue to suck until 4 years old.

2. Does thumb sucking affect children?

Thumb sucking can be considered a normal instinct in young children, however, if children suck their thumbs for a long time and cannot quit, it will cause many disadvantages to the health and development of children.
Thumb sucking too deeply makes children more likely to vomit, especially after feeding or after eating. Children who suck their thumbs when their hands are not washed will increase the risk of hand-to-mouth infections such as hand-foot-and-mouth disease, chickenpox, influenza, and gastrointestinal infections. Children who have strong sucking movements, chewing their hands can cause damage to the skin of their fingers, creating conditions for bacteria to enter and cause skin infections. Sucking fingers for a long time can cause deformity of finger bones, sucked fingers will have an irregular shape. More seriously, in 5-6 years old children who are in the process of replacing permanent teeth, prolonged thumb sucking can affect the normal development of the roof of the mouth and the arrangement of teeth, leading to the condition of the teeth. some conditions such as malocclusion, difficulty pronouncing, protruding (tooth and jaw are pushed out), underbite (one jaw is retracted inward),...

3. Methods of weaning your child's thumb

What to do with sucking children? It is a concern of many parents. To help children quit thumb sucking, parents can refer to some of the following methods:
For children who are still breastfed, make sure that the baby is fully breastfed so that the baby does not get hungry, and avoid letting the baby suck his or her thumb to solve the problem. due to hunger. Children often suck their thumbs when feeling stressed, anxious, or insecure. Always make your child feel secure and comfortable, and pay attention to the causes of their anxiety. When children are sick, have a fever, are in pain after vaccination, parents should spend a lot of time being close and caring to help children overcome difficult times, and also help children reduce the habit of sucking their thumbs. At times when your child is about to suck, distract him by engaging him in age-appropriate play. When the child is a little older and can talk, if the child sucks his thumb when hurt, angry, etc., parents should teach the child how to express his feelings verbally and teach the child the harmful effects of thumb sucking. Encourage and reward children when their thumb sucking improves. Parents can make a colorful weekday calendar, which marks the days when the child does not suck, encouraging children to give up thumbsucking gradually. If the above methods do not work, parents can put a bandage around the finger for the child to remember. In addition, parents can buy thumb sucking gloves or make their own gloves to wear for children. As a last resort, parents can take the child to the dentist to make fixed appliances in the mouth so that the child cannot suck his or her thumb. This method is usually only used for children over 6 years old who cannot get rid of thumb sucking. Note that during the period of weaning, parents must clean their children's hands, regularly cut their nails, clean their skin, and their children's daily toys also need to be kept very clean to avoid the risk of infection. sick.
Master. Doctor. Nguyen Minh Tuan has over 27 years of experience in the field of Pediatrics. Doctor was former Deputy Department of Pediatrics - Da Nang Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital before working as a Pediatrician at the Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital as it is today.
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