by Is The Habit Of Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing Normal In Babies
You wonder if it is safe and hygienic for babies to Sᴜᴄᴋ their Tʜᴜᴍʙ and how to make them stop this habit. Below we’ll discuss why they do what they do and how you can help them ᴋɪᴄᴋ the habit.
Why Do Babies Sᴜᴄᴋ Their Tʜᴜᴍʙ and How Long Does It Last?
There could be numerous reasons for a baby Sᴜᴄᴋing their Tʜᴜᴍʙ. From ʙᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ away boredom to keeping anxiety at bay, it helps your child cope with the environment. While many parents look ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴜᴘᴏɴ it, it is actually an act of emotional ᴍᴀᴛᴜʀɪᴛʏ. It is a sign that the child is asserting independence. Rᴀᴛʜᴇʀ than ᴄʀʏɪɴɢ or sᴇᴇᴋɪɴɢ you out, they have used their own resources to adapt to their sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢs. There is no right answer for the ᴅᴜʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ of Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing as every child is different. As a rule of Tʜᴜᴍʙ (no pun intended), most kids stop it on their own after they are five years old.
Is the Habit of Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing Normal in Babies?
The act of Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing is natural and there are many kids out there who do the same. In fact, some ultrasounds reveal that the act of Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing may start in the womb!
Can Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing Cause Any ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍs?
During infancy, Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing isn’t a ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍ. In fact, it gives you as a parent enough breathing room to pursue other activities. There are some misconceptions such as the belief that Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing can cause sᴘᴇᴇᴄʜ ᴅɪsᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs. This is nothing but an ᴜɴsᴜʙsᴛᴀɴᴛɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ claim without any facts to prove it. However, Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing starts becoming a ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍ later as the child’s milk teeth begin to Fᴀʟʟ ᴏFF. One of the Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing effects includes its potential to interrupt the correct alignment of the teeth. It can also lead to an oral fixation later in life where they may replace the Tʜᴜᴍʙ with ᴄɪɢᴀʀᴇᴛᴛᴇs, ᴀʟᴄᴏʜᴏʟ ᴏʀ ʙɪɴɢᴇ ᴇᴀᴛɪɴɢ.
When Should Parents Intervene?
As the main ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀ of Tʜᴜᴍʙ Sᴜᴄᴋing is improper teeth alignment, parents should intervene when their kids begin to get their ᴘᴇʀᴍᴀɴᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ. The best solution is to follow a wait and watch approach. If they have not grown out of the habit even after they are no longer infants, you can use subtle ways to try to wean them away from the habit.
