faucher@futbal.DEC (Cathy Faucher 381-2207) (04/05/85)
Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from sucking his thumb ???
sidney@faron.UUCP (Sidney Markowitz) (04/08/85)
In <1524@decwrl.UUCP> faucher@futbal.DEC (Cathy Faucher 381-2207) writes: >Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from >sucking his thumb ??? Here's some ideas that come from some of the behaviorally-oriented psychotherapies: First, as you have probably already noticed, the direct approach of "don't do that" is not going to work. Second, a confrontive approach, like smearing bad-tasting stuff on the thumb, mittens, etc., may only lead to a protracted battle that no one will win. The key to changing any habitual behavior is for you to utilize and take control of the behavior itself, leading the child to modify the behavior until it is no longer objectionable or a habit. In this case, encourage the child to do a really good job of finger sucking -- Not the half-hearted right-thumb sucking that she is doing now. Have him start sucking his left thumb, too. Then her right pinkie. Left pinkie. Make sure all the fingers get a good suck. Set up some time every morning of enforced, thorough, finger sucking so that he can be sure to get in all the finger sucking he wants for the day. Enforce that enough so that the child can have something to rebel against, and so that your effort is credible, but remember to allow enough rebellion so she can stop when she wants to. You can set up what is called a "double bind" in which the child can either do what you say, which is what the child claims to want, except even more, or else rebel and stop the originally rebellious behavior. The result tends to be to just drop the whole thing instead of dealing with the alternatives. Be sure to be sincere in encouraging the child to suck his fingers, since if you communicate sarcasm instead, then the child will get to rebel against the real message of "stop sucking your fingers." -- Sidney Markowitz ARPA: sidney@mitre-bedford UUCP: ...{allegra,decvax,genrad,ihnp4,philabs,security,utzoo}!linus!sidney
charliem@shark.UUCP (Charlie Mills) (04/08/85)
In article <1524@decwrl.UUCP> faucher@futbal.DEC (Cathy Faucher 381-2207) writes: >Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from >sucking his thumb ??? Don't bother. He will have quit of his own accord by the time he starts high school. Seriously. -- Charlie Mills UUCP: ..{ucbvax,decvax,uw-beaver,hplabs,ihnp4,allegra}!tektronix!shark!charliem CSNET: shark!charliem@tektronix ARPA: shark!charliem.tektronix@rand-relay USMail: M/S 61-277 Tektronix, Inc. P.O. Box 1000 Wilsonville, OR 97070
tron@fluke.UUCP (Peter Barbee) (04/08/85)
> Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from > sucking his thumb ??? Yes, don't try. I really mean this, he will stop sucking his thumb on his own accord long before the sucking is a problem, and probably long before your best efforts will succeed. Why deny your child such a pleasant security?, he obviously still wants it (no reflection on you) but won't forever. Our pediatrician says that almost all kids totally give it up once most of their peers do - usually about kindergarten. Care, Peter Barbee
essachs@ihuxl.UUCP (Ed Sachs) (04/09/85)
> Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from > sucking his thumb ??? Wait till he starts school. The peer pressure will get to him (hopefully). (I sucked until I was in second grade). -- Ed Sachs AT&T Bell Laboratories Naperville, IL ihnp4!ihuxl!essachs
mcburnet@topaz.ARPA (Roe McBurnett mcburnet@topaz.uucp) (04/10/85)
I thought that thumb sucking past age 4 or so just means money in the banko
for orthodontists.. the power of the sucking over long periods of time
results in movement of the upper teeth and a lousy byte..
I had this happen to me... But I don't know if it was because I sucked my
thumb too long or due to other factors. I just know that if eliminating
thumb sucking *COULD* stop visits to the dentist it is worth it.
--
Roe McBurnett {ut-sally,astrovax}!topaz!mcburnet or
Hill 521 x4273 \-> !ru-green!mcburnettcharliem@shark.UUCP (Charlie Mills) (04/11/85)
In article <273@faron.UUCP> sidney@faron.UUCP (Sidney Markowitz) writes: >In <1524@decwrl.UUCP> faucher@futbal.DEC (Cathy Faucher 381-2207) writes: >>Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from >>sucking his thumb ??? > >... You can set up what is >called a "double bind" in which the child can either do what you say, which >is what the child claims to want, except even more, or else rebel and stop >the originally rebellious behavior... How can anyone think thumb-sucking is rebellious behaviour? Clearly it stems from a need to suck or a need for the security associated with sucking. How can a need for security be construed as rebellious? -- Charlie Mills UUCP: ..{ucbvax,decvax,uw-beaver,hplabs,ihnp4,allegra}!tektronix!shark!charliem CSNET: shark!charliem@tektronix ARPA: shark!charliem.tektronix@rand-relay USMail: M/S 61-277 Tektronix, Inc. P.O. Box 1000 Wilsonville, OR 97070
tron@fluke.UUCP (Peter Barbee) (04/12/85)
>I thought that thumb sucking past age 4 or so just means money in the banko >for orthodontists.. the power of the sucking over long periods of time >results in movement of the upper teeth and a lousy byte.. > Our daughter still sucks her thumb (age 4) so we have investigated what effect this might have on our future dentist and orthodontic bills. Our dentist said "No effect if she stops sucking before her permanent teeth come in". The orthodontist we know actually laughed saying "There is vitually no corelation between temporary tooth placement and permanent tooth placement". This old wife's tale is not true. Peter B
sidney@faron.UUCP (Sidney Markowitz) (04/14/85)
In article <1327@shark.UUCP> charliem@shark.UUCP (Charlie Mills) writes: >In article <273@faron.UUCP> sidney@faron.UUCP (Sidney Markowitz) writes: >>In <1524@decwrl.UUCP> faucher@futbal.DEC (Cathy Faucher 381-2207) writes: >>>Any suggestions on how to wean a 3 1/2 from >>>sucking his thumb ??? >> >>... You can set up what is >>called a "double bind" in which the child can either do what you say, which >>is what the child claims to want, except even more, or else rebel and stop >>the originally rebellious behavior... > >How can anyone think thumb-sucking is rebellious behaviour? Clearly it >stems from a need to suck or a need for the security associated with sucking. >How can a need for security be construed as rebellious? > Thumb sucking in itself is not rebellious behavior. Thumb sucking when the parent is trying to get the child to stop may be rebellious behavior. I should point out that I replied to the theoretical question of influencing a child to modify habits, and didn't notice the age of the child in question. The other answers of the form "don't worry about it, the child will probably stop when he goes to school, if not before" are probably more accurate. Another aspect of the therapeutic double bind is that it tends to put behavior that was considered rebellious in a more positive frame. When what is going on is a contest of power between parent and child, then innocent thumb-sucking may be perceived by one or both as "rebellious". When the parent is advised to actively encourage thumb-sucking, then 1) it can no longer be perceived that way ; and 2) if the child does assert his independence by not sucking his thumb, then that is not perceived as "rebellious" either. So I am agreeing with you completely. -- Sidney Markowitz ARPA: sidney@mitre-bedford UUCP: ...{allegra,decvax,genrad,ihnp4,philabs,security,utzoo}!linus!sidney
tar@hou5g.UUCP (Tim Rock) (04/17/85)
In response to the question of ideas for breaking a child of thumb sucking I would like to relate to you one of my sister's experiences. Her daughter was continually sucking her thumb. She had a seventy year old man she met at church baby sit for her on several occasions. Each time he sat with her, she noticed that for a while afterwords her daughter would refrain from sucking her thumb. She eventually asked the gentleman how he was achieving this result and found out he was applying Liederkranz cheese to Dori's thumbs. Little Dori was unable to bear bringing her thumbs within the vacinity of her nose. After a while her mother only had to refer to the "yucky" cheese to get the desired results. I imagine that any pungent cheese would have the same affect. Tim Rock AT&T Info Systems Holmdel hou5g!tar
christensen@apollo.uucp (Wendy Christensen) (07/31/85)
G. Bogatko writes: > I am looking for information on how to stop a 6 year old from > sucking her thumb. She only sucks it in the daytime, but during that daytime > it is constant. She would rather suck her thumb than anything else. > This is really starting to piss me off. > She has plenty of friends, does well in school, has lots of outside > things to do, but......in the end she would rather suck her thumb. Leave her alone. She is not doing herself any harm, and trying to force her to stop may well do her harm. You say she is well-adjusted, has friends, does well in school, etc. It seems the only disadvantage of her behavior is that is "pisses you off." This is insufficient condition for forcing her to stop something she obviously needs and enjoys. I know of a case of a girl who continued to suck her thumb, day and night, until she was eighteen years old, when she stopped completely and spontaneously. No ill effects, physical or emotional, ever appeared. No one ever made a big deal of it. I think you are more concerned with appearances than with the well-being of the six-year-old in question. w. christensen