All children and youth deserve a safe, respectful, caring and positive learning environment. In fact, the Pan-Canadian Consensus Organization states that “positive learning environments in schools will: maximize the learning of every student, help children and youth become full participating citizens of society and help to build a sense of community.”

The same applies to home and family. When there is a positive approach to learning, there can be much success. Positive reinforcement when it comes to thumb sucking can lead to better success in breaking the thumb sucking habit.

What problems can thumb sucking cause?

The most common problem caused by thumb-sucking is a poor bite in the form of:

• Buck teeth: prominent upper front teeth
• Open bite: the teeth do not meet together at the front
• Cross bite: the lower side teeth bite outside the upper teeth
• Tipping back or crowding of the lower front teeth.

If sucking does result in changes in bite, this may also affect the way a child chews, swallows and talks – a lisp may develop.

Apart from dental effects, some children become withdrawn while sucking their thumb. This “zoning-out” can be problematic if it interferes with learning and participating in activities.

How do you break the thumb-sucking habit?

Attempts to stop thumb-sucking should be tactful, constructive and involve positive encouragement and praise where applicable.

• Always use a positive approach and choose a time when daily life is settled as your child may use thumb-sucking as a means to relieve stress.
• If your child sucks while asleep, you should attempt to gently remove the thumb from the mouth.
• Try the reward system for children who have gone for lengthy periods of time without sucking. Try using a calendar with stickers and make small rewards when they do not suck.
• You can weaken the thumb-sucking habit by distracting your child and keeping both hands busy.
• For older children consider inviting non-thumb-sucking friends over for sleepovers. Chances are, your child won’t suck in front of his/her peers.
• Try weaning your child off the habit by using a positive product like Thumbuddy To Love™
• As a last resort for older children and teenagers, orthodontists can fit a thumb crib appliance that sits behind the upper front teeth and is cemented to the back molars, but it is better to start breaking the thumb sucking habit early like around age 3 or 4 with positive teaching products to have success in stopping thumb sucking.

• Read Thumbuddy To Love ™ story book often to your child.
• Have them take Thumbuddy everywhere, including bed time as a reminder to stop.
• Have your child mark off the days with stickers to encourage him/her to get involved. Some parents even offer their child a small reward after so many stickers. It keeps them motivated.
• Stopping thumb sucking can be a hard habit to break so gets the whole family involved as being on the same “Stop Thumb Sucking Team” (grandparents, siblings, friends, and teachers). Ask them to sign the back of the book as their team member. “You can do it!”
• Remember to be patient. Kids learn best when there is positive encouragement and reinforcement.
• You can remind her/him that they get a certificate/diploma that can be printed off of the web site once your child accomplishes their goal.

Thumbuddy to Love ™ is dedicated to help your child stop thumb sucking.

Thumbuddy To Love vs. Mavala Stop and other thumb guards.

Mavala Stop (made in Switzerland) is a “no bite” nail polish meant for adults but has been used by parents on their child to help stop thumb sucking because it tastes awful. It is Denatonium Benzoate – which is, the world’s bitterest known substance. It is a bitter tasting polish that parents have been known to put on their child’s thumb and it is full of chemicals! Here is the exact list of ingredients: ethyl acetate, alcohol denat, butyl ester of PVM/MA copolymer, phthalic anhydride/trimellitic anhydride, Glycols Copolymer, Butyl Acetate, Acetyl tributyl citrate, sucrose actacetate, Denatonium Benzoate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzophenone-1, CI60725 (D and C Violet #2). Why would you ever put that on a child’s thumb when the probability of sucking it off is high and they can ingest chemicals? I remember when my mom would put the bitter tasting stuff on my thumb and I would either wash it off or suck it off. Not a good solution.

Thumb guards are also made of plastics and considered unnatural. They are also negative teaching tools as the child is shamed into wearing it day or night to prevent thumb sucking. It is like putting a cast on their hand to prevent thumb sucking. If the child wears it to school, the embarrassment factor goes up! It is not considered a motivating thumb sucking product.

Thumbuddy To Love is chemical free and made out of plush material. The parents read the story book often to their child and the child wears the Thumbuddy thumb puppet day or night as a reminder to stop. They can also incorporate it into their play time. No harsh chemicals are used as this is a positive teaching tool for parents and children who suck their thumb. It is a fun, positive and shame free way to give up thumb sucking just like the heroes give up thumb sucking in the book. By using the stickers and calendar in the back of the book, the child stays motivated to stop thumb sucking. It is recommended that the whole family including friends, teachers and grandparents get involved as being on the same “stop thumb sucking” team to encourage the child to give up thumb sucking since thumb sucking can be a hard habit to break. By signing the back of the book “You can do it!” a child feels motivated to reach their goal. A certificate of congratulations can even be printed off the web site www.thumbuddytolove.com to remind the child that they get a diploma once they break the thumb sucking habit. It also teaches positive reinforcement and goal setting. Dentists and Pediatricians have endorsed Thumbuddy To Love. Why? Because it is a fun, positive, natural and kid friendly way to give up thumb sucking.

Thumbuddy To Love^™ is endorsed by Dentists and recommended for Ages 3-6.