Lol..,.don't sweat the small stuff. He will quit on his own time. Probably when he has friends come over to spend the night. Peer pressure works wonders with kids
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Help - Thumb Sucking
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Motivation has to come from within.
My daughter began biting her nails when she was about 4 and we ran fought that for about a year.
Ultimately what did it was she started "big kid school" and she learned what painted nails were. We told her she couldn't paint her nails until they were long enough.
Find something he desires and work towards it. Some may call it a bribe. I say it's learning self discipline, and the ability to make short term sacrifice for long term gain, set goals etc.
Each situation is different but fear of loss and hope for gain are the two primary motivators in life.
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Maybe try finding something for him to do that uses both hands. It sounds like when he sits still that it what he reverts to. If you can find a task or several tasks for him to do when he is bored or has to sit that requires the use of both hands then maybe that will help. Maybe a craft or something that he can work towards. It would need to be something rather simple and easy to take with him on the go. Maybe if he keeps his mind occupied and his hands busy he will quit.
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Our daughter was a thumb sucker, and nothing we could do would stop her. There was no emotional/psychological/environmental reason for her thumb sucking...she had a normal childhood without any trauma or stressors, she just liked to suck her thumb. Ultimately, the wife and I decided there were worse things in the world, and we just left her alone. I thought she finally quit the habit, but last year, she was laying on the sofa and sucking her thumb (she'll turned 21 yrs. old this year). When I asked her about it, she said her stomach was hurting her, and sucking her thumb made it feel better. Okey dockey...some things you just need to leave alone.
Regards,
Dave
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Don't know if this will help, but....When I was a kid, I sucked my thumb. It was especially hard to fall asleep at night without doing so. Then, I started going to sleep-overs. I would not be caught by other kids sucking my thumb. My family had tried all sorts of stuff with me before that to no avail. The fear of being shamed by peers is a powerful motivator. It worked for me, and I can't credit any of my family members' interventions for the behavioral change.
I have a child of my own now, and to this day, my father still repeats one of his favorite responses I ever gave him. He asked me one day why I sucked my thumb, and without skipping a beat, with a straight face I told him "to keep the bugs out of my mouth."
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Mom is a dental hygienist and says that thumbs suckers can created teeth issues...especially the two front teeth up top when they are growing in. It can split them and lay them back or forward if its done long enough. Had an issue with a niece doing it and she had them make sure she stopped it.
So I guess what I am saying is its more than just thumb sucking....it can cause some expensive dental problems later on as well.
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Originally posted by Smart View PostMom is a dental hygienist and says that thumbs suckers can created teeth issues...especially the two front teeth up top when they are growing in. It can split them and lay them back or forward if its done long enough. Had an issue with a niece doing it and she had them make sure she stopped it.
So I guess what I am saying is its more than just thumb sucking....it can cause some expensive dental problems later on as well.
Thanks!
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Originally posted by TXHUNT3R View PostThank you!
He goes to dentist in Nov
How long does it stay in?
Do you remember the cost?
If think insurance covered half and total cost was $1,000.00. We paid $500.00. I was not happy about cost, but well worth it! She was ready to stop, but just needed a little help. Think she kept it in for 6 months, but you and the dentist will decide together when it is ready to come out. If we would have thought she needed more time, we could have left it in there longer. Well worth it for us.
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Buncha mambsiepansies on here..
Vice Grips.
SuperGlue and a catchers mitt.
Chinese finger locks.
...or if you still insist on coddling..
Aerothumb. (which can be duplicated and made more permanent with 4 rolls of duct tape.)
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