What harm does thumb sucking and thumb sucking harm children?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor II Le Thanh Cam - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.
Thumb sucking is a common habit in children, especially those under 1 year old. However, if your child enjoys thumb sucking even as an adult, it will be difficult to break the habit. At the same time, the habit of sucking and sucking fingers also causes many disadvantages to the health and development of children.

1. Why do children suck their fingers?

Thumb sucking is common in the vast majority of babies and young children. Usually, children will suck their thumbs when they are tired and sleepy. Putting fingers in the mouth and sucking can make babies sleep better, sleep more soundly (like the habit of many babies that only sucking on their mother's nipple to sleep). Over time, thumb sucking becomes a habit that is difficult to break.
Explain the reasons why children like to suck their thumbs, mainly:
Innate needs: In newborns, babies like to suck and that is also their innate need. However, when this need is not met, children begin to find ways to please themselves. And sucking is an action many babies take to replace breastfeeding. Desire to be loved: Sucking is also a sign that the child wants to be loved. When parents do not have time to talk, hold the baby or the baby is hungry or uncomfortable without being patted or comforted in time by the parents, thumb sucking will become a reluctant solution for the baby. can be at ease. Thus, the habit of thumb sucking in children is also a way for them to relieve pressure. Especially when the baby lives in an environment that is not properly cared for. Fight loneliness: Thumb sucking is also a way for babies to fight loneliness; Most families today only give birth to 1-2 children, children often have to play alone or only play with toys, watch TV, not play with friends, then they will feel suffocated and lonely. Many children will therefore suck their thumbs to dispel loneliness. Stress reduction: Parents' attitudes also have an effect on children's thumb sucking behavior. If a child is yelled at or scolded by a parent when they see that they are sucking their thumb, they will be more stressed and anxious, causing them to suck more. If you do not find out the cause and how to overcome this situation, it will make the child stubborn with this bad habit. Normally, most children will stop sucking their thumb by the time they are 1-2 years old, and about 15% of children will continue to suck their thumb until the age of 4.

2. Consequences of children's thumb sucking habits

For babies and young children, sucking and sucking is normal. However, if children older than 5 years old still maintain this habit, thumb sucking will become an incurable habit, which can cause negative effects on children's health and development. These harmful effects are:
Communicable diseases: The habit of sucking thumbs when children's hands are not clean can easily lead to children being infected with infectious diseases through hand - mouth such as hand, foot and mouth disease, hydrocephalus. pox, flu, worm infections and gastrointestinal diseases. Easy to spit up: Children who suck their thumbs too deeply are prone to vomiting, especially after breastfeeding or eating; Finger skin cracks: For children with strong and continuous sucking movements, even chewing their fingers or pushing their hands with their tongue can also damage the finger skin, causing the hand skin to crack many times and turn pale. even sores, causing external germs to enter the skin, causing pyoderma. Easy to affect baby teeth: Children suck a lot at the teething stage (4-7 months old). This behavior can affect the development of teeth because it negatively affects the arrangement of teeth, easily causing dental defects. Finger bone deformity: Sucking for a long time can cause deformity of the finger bones in children, causing the fingers to have an irregular shape. Damage to teeth and jaws: In children 5-6 years old who are in the process of replacing permanent teeth, sucking with strong, continuous sucking movements or pushing fingers away with the tongue can cause some damage. in teeth and jaws, leading to deformities such as protrusion (tooth and jaw are pushed out), underbite (tooth and lower jaw are indented), bite deviation, difficulty in pronunciation, ...

Psychological damage: Thumb sucking is considered a symbol of shame, lack of confidence, making children easily teased by friends, leading to feelings of guilt when they are at school age. Thumb sucking is instinctive for babies and young children. However, for the sake of the future health of the child, parents should limit this habit of sucking and sucking. After a period of shaping, children will get rid of this bad habit.
Children aged 1 to 2 years old will have developmental milestones such as: Children are always curious about everything around and love to explore on their own. Babies can speak many single words and by 24 months old can use sentences and short phrases... To encourage their child's development at this age, parents should stimulate their baby's skills by: Organizing Let your child spend more time playing outdoors. Take your baby to the park, playground or zoo to walk, run and explore; talk with children, read books to children, ...
In addition to sucking and sucking, parents should pay attention to abnormal signs such as:
Children are slow to walk: 18 months old but the child still does not know Delayed speech: Does not speak at least six words by 18 months of age or in two-word sentences by 24 months of age. Do not imitate words or actions When children have these signs, parents should consult doctors and psychologists and nutritionists for advice on solutions and timely intervention.

For children to be healthy and develop well, it is necessary to have a nutritious diet in terms of quantity and quality balance. If children are not provided with adequate and balanced nutrients, it will lead to diseases of excess or lack of nutrients, which adversely affect the comprehensive development of children in terms of physical, mental and motor skills.
Children who do not eat properly are at risk of micro-mineral deficiency causing anorexia, growth retardation, malabsorption,... If they notice the above signs, parents should supplement their children with products. The supplement contains lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help fully meet the nutritional needs of children. At the same time, these essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, help improve anorexia, and help children eat well.
Parents can learn more:
Signs of zinc deficiency in children
Micronutrient deficiency and failure to gain weight in children
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