Breaking the Thumb-Sucking Habit

Kids who still suck their thumbs are at risk of dental and speech problems. Here's how to help your child quit.

By Sandy Jones

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Why Kids Do It

Although plenty of 4- and 5-year-olds still rely on their thumb as a self-soother, parents often worry that sucking makes their big kid look like a baby. However, helping them kick the habit can backfire if you intervene too soon, under adverse circumstances, or in a critical way.

Infants are born with a powerful sucking instinct that's necessary for survival, and many find thumb-sucking--like breastfeeding--pleasurable. Most kids lose interest in their thumb by age 3, but 4- and 5-year-olds who continue to suck do so for a variety of reasons: to relax, beat boredom, and fall asleep. It's not true, however, that thumb-sucking at this age is a symptom of deeper psychological problems, says Ray Miltenberger, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at North Dakota State University, in Fargo. Though kids do suck to ease everyday stress, "thumb-sucking is primarily a habit, and that's how it should be treated."

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