SUCKING HABITS

Sucking is pleasurable and helps the young child to relax and sleep. Most babies suck their thumbs or fingers and some suck an abject which they like. Often parents encourage sucking when the child is small but when he does not give it up later they are concerned. Many children suck their thumbs to feel reassured when the mother is absent, but others suck even while sitting on their mother’s lap. Working mothers therefore need not feel guilty if their child sucks his thumb. Apart from the fact that when a child sucks his thumb any dirt on it will get into his mother, the most important consideration against thumb-sucking is the fact that it will cause the teeth to grow out of alignment. Some children give up sucking on their own, but if they continue this habit even in the fifth or sixth year they need to be dissuaded by telling stories of the repercussions of thumb sucking. Die-hard thumb suckers will but give up easily just hearing such stories. You can take the child into confidence and work out rewards for breaking the habit which the child himself should suggest. Don’t nag unkindly but constantly remind him of the possibility of crooked teeth or the teasing he is likely to face. Initially the reward should be small for smaller durations of not sucking. Then the time period should be slowly increased along with the gift to be given which should be selected from the list of things that the child wants. In order to make the strategy more effective, the rewards could be visible but out of reach. When the child sees them everyday, his determination to overcome the habit becomes stronger. Putting your own finger in your mouth in front of the child repeatedly or showing him a picture of a child with crooked teeth also works wonderfully.