Usually, treatment can be done at home and includes parents setting rules and providing distractions. It may be helpful to limit the times and places that your child is allowed to suck his or her thumb and to put away blankets or other items your child associates with thumb-sucking. Offering praise and rewards for not thumb-sucking may also help your child break the habit. As your child matures, usually around age 5, he or she may be able to take a more active role in treatment.

Talk to your child openly about the effects of thumb-sucking.
Put gloves on your child's hands or wrap the thumb with an adhesive bandage or a cloth. Explain that the glove, bandage, or cloth is not a punishment but is only there to remind him or her not to thumb-suck.
Develop a reward system, such as putting stickers on a calendar or otherwise recording each day that your child does not suck his or her thumb. After an agreed-upon number of days, have a celebration for your child.
Use a special nontoxic, bitter-tasting nail coating, such as Thum. Apply it like fingernail polish to the thumbnail each morning, before bed, and whenever you see your child sucking his or her thumb. This treatment is most successful when it is combined with a reward system.
If these treatments aren't successful, other methods—including behavioral therapy, thumb devices, or oral devices—may be used.

SOURCE SITE :http://www.cigna.com/healthin fo/hw170183.html

Answered by Sanya Tahir , an ibibo Master, at 11:41 AM on August 11, 2008

Thumb sucking (and finger sucking) is one of the most common habits during childhood. Some children suck their thumb for safety even before birth.
Usually children stop the habit on their own, by that age. If they don't, some easy ways to get kids to stop thumbsucking are :

1.Keep the child's hands occupied with a toy, puzzle or other activity.
2.Carefully remove your child's thumb from his or her mouth during sleep.
3. Give the example of his friends that have managed to stop thumbsucking.
4.Don't put the child in a state of anxiety or fear. If the child has any emotional problems, or is under stress and needs comforting, you may need to resolve those issues first before your child can succesfully stop thumb-sucking.
5.Talk about the 'bad' germs that are on our hands and how the child puts them in his or her mouth while thumb sucking.
6.Avoid punishing or shaming the child.
7.Reward the child for not thumbsucking for a progressively increasing time period.

Answered by pankaj , an ibibo Advisor, at 8:38 PM on August 10, 2008

Mr. SESHAN!
Thumbsucking is a habit disorder due to emotional disturbances. Parents should ignore the habit, if possible while giving attention to more positive aspects of the child's behavior. The child who actively tries to restrain thumbsucking should be given praise and encouragement. Although prognosis worsens in children greater than six yr of age, attempts at cessation are most successful in cases in which the child desires to stop and should be inspired & presuaded by parents or grandparents or other elderly persons in the family in a compassionate manner and that's all about treatment of thumbsucking.

Answered by Saurav , an ibibo Citizen, at 4:33 PM on August 10, 2008

We could put olive oil or eucalyptus oil, with its strong astringent odor on the thumb.But no use doing it at a later stage. It should be done at a young age of 2- 3. Then they stop.

Answered by Vida Writer , an ibibo Master, at 3:27 PM on August 10, 2008

Thumb sucking habit is common among childrens. This habit can lead to some infections as the thumb may attract some dirts at times. Moreover, there may be some deformity in the dentine if the action puts pressure over the gums. So, the thumb shall be replaced with some medicated sucking objects like sucking nipples which may help a child to prevent sucking his thumb but the medically approved thing.

Answered by MRIDUL BORA , an ibibo Master, at 3:25 PM on August 10, 2008

well SESHAN,Children usually outgrow thumb sucking between the ages of three and six. Persistent thumb sucking may indicate emotional deprivation in the child. Parents should try to identify what is bothering the child and then set it right if possible. Habitual thumb sucking can be treated with corrective measures such as restraints, elbow mitts, bad-tasting substances painted on the fingers, etc. However it may not always work. Distraction with a toy as soon as the child begins to suck the thumb may also work. Encourage the child to give up the habit without punishing or making the child too conscious of it.
Note:- The appearance of advertisement or product information in the various section in the website does not constitue an endorsement or approval by pediatric oncall of the quality or value of the said product or of claims made by its manufacturer. Pediatric oncall cannot be held responsible for any consequences arising from the use of the information contained in this supplement.
source:www.pediat riconcall.com/forpatients/comm onchild/common_problems/thumb_ sucking.asp

Answered by Debashis , an ibibo Master, at 10:31 AM on August 10, 2008

Hello seshan
some of tips to treat the thumb sucking habit of children are as follows.

Don't pressure your child to stop, this can reinforce the habit
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Talk to them about the reasons and ways to work together to stop the habit
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Praise them when they do not suck their thumb, caught them doing things right!
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If your child's teeth are moving, talk to your dentist for personalized advice.
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Set up an incentive system to reward their progress
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Don't get frustrated with your child; this tends to make the habit worse.
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If they suck because they feel insecure, focus on eliminating the cause of the anxiety or if they do it for comfort, offer them comfort instead of sucking their thumb.
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Have them hold balls in their hands while they sleep so their hands are busy.
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Taping the end of the thumb
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Reward them for NOT sucking their thumbs
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If your child is older, involve them in choosing the method of stopping
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Remind your child of his habit by bandaging his thumb or putting a sock on his hand at bedtime (you may have to duck tape the sock on!)
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Try the nail polish with cayenne pepper (it works well), if they don't chip it off :-) NEVER place this polish on an infant. NEVER put cayenne pepper on any infant or child's thumb or fingers..it may kill them!
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Have them wear a large shirt with long sleeves. Button it completely on and tie the arms or rubber band them shut so they can not suck on their thumb.
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Ask your dentist to explain to your child the effects of thumb sucking and encourage him to quit.

for more detail refer
http://www.dentalgentlecare. com/thumbsucking.htm

Answered by Saq , an ibibo Master, at 10:36 PM on August 09, 2008

We need to discourage them to use thumb to such. Its just a practice and after a while they stop sucking the thump. A pseudo nipple will also help. Some try to put bitter taste on the thumb so that the child do not try to succle the thumb, which sometime works too.

Answered by Vinay Kiran , an ibibo Specialist, at 8:39 PM on August 09, 2008

Thumb sucking is not a bad habit.Some babies even up to 7-8 years of age suck their thumb and it give them more pleasure in doing it.In some cases I found even a 10 year old boy sucking his thumb.When they reach a certain age they automatically stops this habit.Normally those children whose breast feeding stops very early found to have this habit,compared to those of breast fed children.Nothing to worry about the teeth and gum projection.It can be corrected after reaching the age of 12.

Answered by SUKUMARAN , an ibibo Master, at 7:23 PM on August 09, 2008

thumb sucking habit is seen in mostly the children who are malnourished.that means they have defeciency of a certain vitamins or proteind there by they will get the habit of suckling the thumb,eating slte pencils.,etc. so for this the mother has to take care and should carefully observe for in which times he is having that habit so that she can assess the problem. and then try to put something like bitter think on the thumb to which he is sucking and some times this trick works for most. but be cautious about the material you used to! then aftr if he didnt yet get off the habit then consult a psychiatrist and getcounselled. thishabit of sucking thumb is a nasty habit and it can cause infections. so as possible try to stop it!

Answered by surendra , an ibibo Advisor, at 5:35 PM on August 09, 2008