It is not easy to understand a child’s mental makeup. Every kid has his or her own notions about things that change with time and experience. You would be surprised to notice the methods a child comes up with in order to cope with the changes he or she is faced with. Thumb sucking is one such habit that more often than not starts while the child is still in the womb. It is a coping mechanism in children and is quite a normal affair. The habit becomes worrisome for parents, when the kid does not grow out of it within the stipulated time frame of two to three years of age.

The science behind thumb sucking

As stated earlier, thumb sucking is nothing but a coping mechanism that kids resort to when they are under duress. You would normally find a child resorting to sucking on his or her thumbs, or in many cases, fingers, when the child is

• Bored
• Scared
• Feeling insecure
• Drowsy
• Tired
• Faced with a new situation

How to deal with it

You may be looking for ways and means to try and get your child to break the habit of thumb sucking. However, you need to be very careful while trying to attempt this. Since this is an activity that your kid derives comfort from, any kind of force or pressure may impact your child negatively, even leading to a childhood trauma. Being gentle is the only way. You need to make your kid extremely comfortable and get your child to trust you.

• Make him realize that you are the support system that they can always turn to when need be, rather than sucking on their thumb.
• Talking with your child is another way to make him understand that you are there for him at all times.
• Use the good behavior reward scheme to help your child kick the habit. Small incentives like an ice-cream treat, stickers of your kid’s choice or an award certificate when your child makes a conscious effort towards letting go of the habit is also a useful method.
• Try and understand the fact that your kid too wants to grow out of the habit and his or her inability to do so is not an act of stubbornness. They just need that extra push to help them get out of it and your support is what would help them the most.

How is ThumbGuard useful?

When the psychological support method does not work out, you need to take a more drastic step towards the effect of getting your kid to quit thumb sucking. This can be done with the help of ThumbGuard. It is a simple device that prevents your kid from being able to suck on the thumb. It is easy to use and does not hinder finger or hand movement in any way. Using ThumbGuard for a month is all you need to make sure that your kid is able to get over the habit of thumb sucking. Choose one in a size that is suitable and see the results in your little one within four weeks!