Children have a fascination with putting things in their mouth—especially their thumbs. As a parent, I didn’t mind when my kids sucked their thumbs, but as they got older and still engaged in the behavior, I became self-conscious about my parenting.
The National Institute of Health estimates that 50 percent of kids suck their thumbs, but most stop on their own around age 4. We spoke with Dr. Shelly Senders, founder and CEO of Senders Pediatrics, about this behavior and why it continues into childhood, and how parents can help break the habit.
Thumb Sucking Provides Comfort
Dr. Senders says that babies are born with natural rooting and sucking reflexes, which can cause them to put their thumbs in their mouth. They continue to thumbsuck because it provides comfort and helps them navigate their world. While the behavior usually stops by 6 or 7 months, or between age 2 and age 4, it often continues into childhood—especially in times of stress.
“We live in a very stressful world,”
Senders says. “Having a ‘lovey’ enables them to calm down quickly and easily.”
Thumb Sucking Helps Children Fall Asleep
Many times, kids suck their thumbs because it helps them fall asleep.
“Falling asleep is often a scary time for kids,” Senders says. “They are not surrounded by adults as they are during the day and must deal with the dark, which is often frightening. Sucking their thumbs helps them relax to fall asleep.”
Thumb Sucking Aids in Focus
Kids suck their thumbs because it helps them focus.
“Sometimes the surrounding environment is overstimulating and sucking on a thumb or on two fingers enables the child to blot out the intensity and focus on an activity,” Senders says.
Thumb sucking can cause problems
If this childhood habit continues for a long time, it may have negative effects on a child’s dental health, speech pronunciation and nail bed.
Specifically, Senders says when a child sucks their thumb, it creates pressure and suction in the mouth that can pull the teeth forward, resulting in an “open bite,” which keeps the top and bottom teeth from touching. This can contribute to D and T mispronunciations. Additionally, they also can get calloused skin, and a type of nail bed infection called a paronychia that requires antibiotics.
Ironically, there is also a great deal of research that points to the benefits of thumb sucking. For example, sucking helps regulate peristalsis, the movement of the gut that is necessary in digestion. Additionally, a notable study showed that kids who suck their thumbs develop fewer allergies as they get older.
Breaking the habit
While most children stop when they are ready, Senders advises parents not to push kids who aren’t there yet, as it can add more stress and increase the need for thumb sucking.
However, he advises, if it is contributing to teasing in school, parents can try an alternative. For instance, a stress ball can be helpful. For children who respond to positive reinforcers, he suggests sticker charts.
