How might I help my son, who is 11, stop sucking his thumb? I know he's too old, but he only does it at night. He wants to quit too, but just having trouble. Thanks for your help.
by 
Sweet Baby Jane
ANSWERS: 4
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Sucking his thumb is a habit. I have heard that to be rid of a habit, you have to replace it with another habit. Maybe he can hold onto something rather than suck his thumb. I remember I sucked mine til I was older. I can't remember exactly how old, but it was embarrassing. When I got invited to a slumber party at a friends house, that made me quit!
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This one is a hard one considering we are not aware of what we do while we are sleeping. neither of my children got into thumb sucking but my cousin did until she was about 7 or 8. We tried everything for her from wrapping her thumb up to using hot sauce to try and break the habit. None of which worked for her becuase she didnt WANT to stop. What did it for her was she heard her parents argueing about something and she thought it was RE:her thumb sucking so she stopped for that reason. Kids are funny like that. Maybe for your son, since he "wants" to stop, somthing as simple as wrapping his thumbs at night so it wont fit in his mouth would work for him. Then it may wake him when he tries and it wont fit and help with his night trouble. Best of luck to you and him.
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does he have any breathing or sinus problems?? this is often a habit for kids to breath with mouth open - discuss with your doctor
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This is probably a lame idea and I'm certain my wife would not allow me to enforce it....but... If it was my son, every time I caught him sucking his thumb he would have to go and put on a pull-up diaper and wear it under his pants as punishment. Nah. After I type it, that seems pretty cruel. I don't think humiliation is a good way to go. On second thought, tell him that everyday that goes by without anyone seeing him suck his thumb, he will receive some sort of a reward.
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