Unborn children suck their thumbs as early as the fifth month of pregnancy, which can be seen on many ultrasound images.

Babies often start sucking their thumbs in the womb. They prepare themselves for sucking on the breast, and this is absolutely normal. Sucking the thumb is a calming behavior and sleeping aid for babies.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association recommend that children should stop sucking their thumbs at the age of 3, as intense and frequent sucking can lead to problems with the teeth and jaw.

Thumb sucking is okay for very little ones, and there are no studies or research that speak against a baby sucking their thumb. Until the end of the second year of life, thumb sucking serves as a consolation tactic to assist in calming down, and it is also effective as a sleep aid.

Dentists recommend that children from 3 years of age and up wean themselves from sucking their thumbs in order to prevent misaligned teeth.

– Thumb sucking helps a child to calm down and sleep through the night.
– In contrast to a pacifier, a thumb cannot get lost and is always available.
– Thumb-sucking children have a reduced risk of allergies.

Thumb sucking is common, but it is very age-dependent. Different studies have yielded different results. Approximately 20% of 1-year-olds and 6% of 5-year-olds suck their thumbs.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association recommend that children should stop sucking their thumbs at age 3, as intense and frequent sucking can lead to problems with the teeth and jaw.

– Thumb sucking and using a pacifier both satisfy the baby’s natural need to suck.
– Pacifiers are more tooth-friendly and therefore cause less damage.
– Pacifiers are easier to wean off of than thumbs.
– Thumb-sucking children have a reduced risk of allergies.

Sucking the thumb serves as a calming and sleeping aid for babies and is considered normal behavior. For older children, thumb sucking can be considered a habit, and it’s relatively common. It’s estimated that around 6% of 5-year-olds suck their thumbs.

Very intense and frequent thumb sucking well beyond the usual age can be a sign of a behavioral disorder that requires a psychological evaluation.

Most children have a favorite thumb or finger. However, there can vary.

There are many ways to help your child break a thumb sucking habit:
– Observe the thumb sucking: In which situations does it occur? What does the child need at that moment?
– Positive reinforcement (praise the child when they are not thumb sucking)
– There are good children’s books that deal with thumb sucking. You can find an overview of the best children’s books on our book review page.
– Give the thumb an identity or personality (e.g., the thumb likes to hide in the mouth). More details on this may be under the thumb identity section.
– Use an anti-sucking device. You can find a detailed overview of the best products to help you stop sucking your thumb in the product overview.

You can find many more tips and tricks under what to do to deter thumb sucking.

For very young children (<6 months), switching to a pacifier can be worthwhile, as weaning from a pacifier is much easier than trying to stop thumb sucking. However, it is not uncommon for a child to start sucking their thumb after the use of a pacifier.

For many children, thumb sucking is a reassurance gesture. Brushing or twisting of the hair is also such a gesture, and these often appear together.

For babies and toddlers, thumb sucking is normal and harmless. Many children stop sucking their thumbs by themselves at some point, even without intervention. Often, however, this is much later than dentists’ recommended weaning age of 3 years.

Thumb sucking cannot be completely prevented. As a potential preventative measure, research shows that children who are actively offered a pacifier are less likely to suck their thumbs. However, this is very dependent on the child—some simply do not like the pacifier.

– A pacifier is less harmful to teeth and jaws and is easier to wean off from using.
– The thumb is always available, and it is not a foreign object made of plastic.
– Thumb-sucking children have a lower risk of allergies.

A children’s book is a wonderful way to talk about thumb sucking. The most famous children’s thumb sucking books are:
– Anna and Dedo: A Thumb Ventures Out
– Thumbs Up, Brown Bear
– Thumbs Up For Ted’s Thumbsie
– Dana’s Finger Is Set Free
– Isadora!: Take That Thumb Out of Your Mouth

You can find detailed descriptions of these books and additional tips and tricks on our book review page.

There are many products available that can help children stop sucking their thumbs. Which of them is the right one depends on the child, the age of the child, and the intensity and frequency of the thumb sucking. You can find a detailed overview of the best products on our product review page.