finger sucking

[lbahlstrand]

My daughter (10 months tomorrow) sucks her middle and ring finger when she is tired or uncomfortable. She never used the pacifier. With her new top teeth, she is getting some sores and the fingers are red and swollen. How do you prevent her from sucking her fingers?

[dodoe80]

I don't have an answer for you and have heard this can be very difficult to stop. Good luck.

[jacksonsmommy]

I sucked those same 2 fingers when I was little. I sucked them til I was about 7 or eight. Wish I had some advice for you. My DD sucked and still sucks her thumb. She is seven now, and she is to the point where she wants to stop. I personally never minded that she sucked her thumb. I think it made her a very good baby because she could soothe herself when she was tired or cranky. She hardly ever cried.

[lolabear]

my neice is 10 and still sucks her thumb in her sleep, they tried everything, we even put hot sauce on it once and she ended up liking it lol and she has calluses on her thumb and used to have sores too. i think its a harder habit t break than a paci b/c the paci you can take away, you cant take fingers away

[ControlFreak]

Good luck, if anyone knows, please tell me too! My DD also sucks on those same 2 fingers. She is 11 now and I STILL have not gotten her to stop. She usually does it when she is tired or bored.

[txgrl16]

My DD sucks her thumb and it is so very cute...DS has paci or as he calls is gaga...i've goten to where I put the paci up or it'll stay in his mouth all day and he wont talk...but ya'll are right I bet the thumb will be harder to break...I cant' remove it!

[dodoe80]

Now that I think of it there was someone at my church that got something specifically designed to put on the child's fingers to help them to stop sucking on them. I don't know what it is but it is suppose to tast really gross.

[lbahlstrand]

I'm concern about her sores. I also read there is something that you can put in the fingers that tastes bad. I was thinking to put socks, but she will probably remove them.

[ControlFreak]

I did buy some stuff that you are supposed to paint on their nails that apparently tastes really bad. It didn't work...not because it didn't taste bad, but when she sucks on her fingers, her nails are pointing towards the top of her mouth, not her tongue, so she couldn't really taste it. I guess it would work better if it was on the thumb. Is there something different that actually goes on their fingers and not the nails?

[jacksonsmommy]

I just remembered that my dentist offered to put some sort of device in the roof of dd's mouth to help remind her not to suck her thumb. I declined, but if you are that concerned about it, you could certainly talk to her dentist about it.