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How to wean a child from sucking his thumb: advice from a pediatrician and a dentist

Why does a child suck his thumb

As Irina Meshcheryakova, a pediatrician at the SM-Clinic in St. Petersburg, explained to Gazeta.Ru, the reflex process of sucking appears in children even in the womb. Often, with an ultrasound examination, it is possible to see that the child is sucking on his fingers.

After the birth of , baby may suck her thumb to satisfy the sucking reflex - especially if the mother for some reason stops breastfeeding too early and transfers the baby to artificial feeding. Also, most children put their fingers in their mouths for the purpose of self-soothing.

“If the child is anxious, then this activity allows him to feel the comfort and security that he receives at the mother’s breast,” explains the pediatrician.

The habit of thumb sucking can be explained by problems in the emotional sphere, for example, when a child lacks acceptance, care and love.

Why is the habit of sucking fingers dangerous? from the gastrointestinal tract. And, of course, do not forget that the oral cavity is the "entrance gate" for infection. Unwashed hands that a child constantly puts into his mouth are the cause of many infectious diseases.”

In addition, the doctor warned that you need to pay attention to how the child holds his fingers in his mouth: loosely or presses on the gum. In the second case, bite changes, the formation of a gap between the upper and lower front teeth, forward tilt of the front teeth, narrowing of the upper jaw are possible.

How does breastfeeding affect the bite? and head and body position. The muscles that help develop the jaws correctly are involved, in particular the position of the lower jaw.

Early transition of the baby to artificial feeding can develop in him the habit of sucking his fingers - in this way the baby will try to get closer to the sensations that he experienced at the mother's breast. However, this is fraught with the formation of an incorrect bite.

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Formation of malocclusion (open bite)

Vladimir Losev warns parents that bite deformity can be caused not only by the baby's thumb sucking habit, but also by using the wrong nipple when switching to artificial feeding. The situation is aggravated when the child lies not on its side, but on its back - in this position, other muscle groups are involved (in contrast to what happens during natural breastfeeding), which leads to an incorrect formation of the lower jaw.

“This leads to a decrease in the volume of the lower jaw, it narrows - accordingly, there is a decrease in the volume of the oral cavity, there is little room left for the tongue, it begins to strive outward. All this causes the front teeth to be pushed out - thus an open bite is formed, ”explains the doctor.

The dentist also noted that there are special anatomical nipples that are designed so that the child does not experience bite changes and is formed correctly, as during breastfeeding.

“They must be used from six months to a year. During this period, the formation of the joint takes place, ”explains Vladimir Losev.

It is also important to wean the child from thumb sucking in time.

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At what age should a child stop sucking his thumb

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In the first year of life, the habit of sucking fingers is not so dangerous, however, the sooner the child gets rid of it, the less unpleasant consequences it will have, explains Irina Meshcheryakova.

“It is believed that at the age of three or four this habit should disappear on its own and without any special consequences. The main thing is that the child should stop sucking his thumb before the age of six or seven, when the milk teeth are replaced by permanent ones. If the habit persisted at an older age and permanent teeth fell under the influence, then you need to contact an orthodontist, ”comments the pediatrician.

How to wean a child from thumb sucking

If a small child constantly puts his fingers in his mouth, then the correct approach to feeding will help to get rid of this habit.

“If the baby sucks his fingers between breastfeeds, it is worth increasing the time of the meal. If the child is artificially fed, the diameter of the hole in the nipple should be reduced so that the feeding process becomes longer,” recommends Irina Meshcheryakova.

The pediatrician emphasizes that in no case should a child be punished for a bad habit. Parents who try to wean their child from sucking fingers with mustard are also making a mistake.

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“You should not try to smear strong-smelling substances, bitter varnish or savory sauces on a child's fingers - this will not lead to the desired result. The baby can be put on mittens at night so that he cannot suck his finger in his sleep, and during the day gently remove the hands from his mouth. You need to control this process calmly and methodically. But no more than that, since the stress of screaming or punishment, on the contrary, will lead to the fact that the baby will suck his fingers even more - because this process calms, ”warns Dr. Meshcheryakova.

If you can't get rid of this habit, then you should think about the psychological state of the child. Perhaps a traumatic situation persists, or the child simply does not know what to do with himself. In both cases, everything is in the hands of the parents.

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Irina Meshcheryakova offers parents some simple rules for communicating with their children:

· devote more time to your child;

· do not allow manifestations of aggression or negative emotions in the presence of a child;

Praise him often for all his achievements, including the absence of the habit of sucking his thumb.

If the above measures do not give the desired effect, you should contact the orthodontist, who will prescribe the wearing of plates with limiters.
In case the matter is in the psychological state of the son or daughter, a child psychologist will help. However, the specialist should work not only with the child, but also with the parents, because in this case the psychological atmosphere in the family depends on adults.

9 baby abilities before birth

The baby in his mother's stomach spends time quite actively and fruitfully: he sucks his finger, hiccups, pisses, plays with the umbilical cord - in a word, he has a lot to do!

Legion Media

I remember when I was pregnant I wanted so much to see what my son was doing in my tummy! One of the assumptions was obvious: he plays football there or trains to be a sumo wrestler, because he kicked and pushed mercilessly. Sometimes the son seemed to freeze and listen to what was happening outside his temporary home. Are you all right there, parents? But much more often he gave a good beating to my ribs. His heels worked non-stop.

1 Moves

Already at the very beginning of pregnancy, around 9-10 weeks, the baby begins to move. But he is still so tiny that mommy simply does not feel his movements. A lot of activity in the crumbs begins from about the 12th to the 24th week. It is at this time that the child still has enough space in the mother's tummy to "turn around" to the fullest. The peanut plays with the umbilical cord, bends and unbends the arms and legs, sucks his thumb and generally spins inside his mother like a top. In the last weeks of pregnancy, the baby makes already deliberate movements: she rubs her eyes, touches her face. But there is less and less room to maneuver. Therefore, the little one is diligently moving his arms and legs - “pushing”.

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2 Hiccups

In the second half of pregnancy, starting at about the 27th week, the baby sometimes . .. hiccups. The baby moves not only the arms and legs, but also the diaphragm. Diaphragm movements can be detected on ultrasound even in the first trimester. When a convulsive contraction of the diaphragm occurs, the baby hiccups. Some experts are inclined to believe that hiccups are a kind of training for independent breathing. According to another version, this is the result of the fact that the little one swallowed amniotic fluid. In addition, the involuntary process of diaphragm contraction can also be considered as a kind of massage that contributes to the normal development of the internal organs of the crumbs. Scientists have not yet come to a consensus.

3 Reacts to light

At the 6-7th month of pregnancy, the baby reacts to bright light, and this despite the fact that the function of vision in the baby is not in demand until the very moment of birth. And yet, even while in the uterus, the baby sees! If you direct a bright source of light, such as a lamp, at the belly of a pregnant woman, you can see how the baby grimace (grimaces) with displeasure, closes his eyelids (squints), or even turns his head. Some babies, especially in the last trimester, really dislike the light and even turn or turn over so as to remain in a comfortable twilight.

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4 Stretches and yawns

A toddler can yawn as early as the 10th week of pregnancy. From about the 24th week, yawning becomes his constant companion, and the baby yawns several times a day. But by the end of intrauterine development, it almost stops. The baby, when he yawns, can reflexively stretch, as do adults. By the way, scientists still do not know the answer to such a simple question: why do we yawn at all? If we do this regularly throughout our lives, does it mean that we still need it for something? It is believed that yawning is responsible for the thermoregulation of our body, and at the time of embryonic development, the baby trains jaw movements in this way.

5 Teases

By the 36th week, almost before the birth, the baby already has an almost full range of emotions. If a bright source of light is directed at the mother's tummy, the baby may frown, close his eyes and turn away. If mommy has just eaten something sweet or already loved by the baby, then he smiles. Sometimes the child even sticks out his tongue and makes a face. Of course, he does not tease, grimaces and expresses joy in our understanding. Just like that, he grows and hones all the shades of emotions.

6 Thumb sucking and drinking amniotic fluid

Starting at about 11 weeks, baby sucks on his thumb. The longer the gestation period, the more time he devotes to his favorite pastime - thumb sucking. Some experts draw parallels between which hand the baby sucks his thumb on before birth and who he then grows up to be - left-handed or right-handed. From about the 12th week of pregnancy, the baby begins to swallow amniotic fluid. This contributes to the development of his digestive system. When his taste buds are already sufficiently developed, the baby can even "taste" the food that mom eats and appreciate it. They say that it is during this period that the taste preferences of the child are laid. At the end of the first trimester, when the embryo receives the status of a fetus, it is already able to excrete urine.

7 Plays with the umbilical cord and claps his hands

The little one has a favorite toy even before he is born. It's... the umbilical cord. Yes, yes, the very umbilical cord through which the baby receives nutrition. The baby periodically reaches the umbilical cord and plays with this "rope", although of course so far these are just involuntary movements - harbingers of a grasping reflex. The same can be said about the baby's ability to clap. His exercises and patty games are clearly visible on ultrasound. So your child trains motor skills, which will be useful to him in the future. Mommy should not worry if she feels pretty strong pushes of the little one. A moderately active baby in the tummy is very good. So everything is going as it should.

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8 Listens to the mother's heartbeat and other sounds

From the second half of pregnancy, the baby already hears - that is, it reacts to sound impulses and responds to them with a rapid heartbeat or the movement of tiny arms and body. By the 26th week, he is able to distinguish sounds. Hearing plays a very important role in the study of the outside world. That is why future parents are advised to talk to the "tummy" so that the baby gradually gets used to the timbre of the voices of mom and dad. Classical music has a positive effect on the development of the baby. In addition to the sounds of the “outer” world, the baby perfectly hears the inner world: the mother’s heart is beating, the blood is roaring, the intestines are rumbling.

9 Sleeping

In the second trimester of pregnancy, the baby sets its own, special rhythm of sleep and wakefulness, which, as a rule, not only does not coincide with the mother's regimen, but goes against it. When mom is sleeping, the baby is awake. And vice versa. Approximately 90% of the time the baby sleeps. Take advantage of this to do household chores and relax. The fast phase helps brain development. By the way, many mothers most often feel how the baby is active and pushing at night, when they are going to sleep, and at this very moment the baby decides to tell her mother: “Good morning!”.

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