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Thumb-Sucking
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A thumb-sucking child usually places the thumb in the mouth above the tongue, pressing forward against the upper front teeth or gums and backward against the lower front teeth or gums. A child may develop a callus on the thumb if he or she sucks often and very hard.
- Some children suck their fingers instead of their thumbs. They may have found their fingers more easily than their thumbs when they first started sucking.
- Some children finger a piece of cloth, pull on their ears, or twist their hair while sucking.
Thumb-sucking in children younger than 4 is not usually a problem behavior. Children who suck their thumbs frequently or with great intensity after the age of 4 or 5 may develop:
- Emotional difficulties. Some preschoolers who suck their thumbs may feel ashamed if they are teased by other children. Don't shame or punish your child for thumb-sucking. This will only lower his or her self-esteem.
- Dental problems. Thumb-sucking can cause many serious future dental problems, such as improperly aligned teeth (malocclusion). Malocclusion usually corrects itself when the child stops thumb-sucking. But the longer thumb-sucking continues, the more likely it is that orthodontic treatment will be needed to correct any resulting dental problems.
- Speech problems. The most common speech problems that develop because of thumb-sucking include mispronouncing Ts and Ds, lisping, and thrusting out the tongue when talking.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: September 9, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Susan C. Kim, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics John Pope, MD - Pediatrics | |
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