Sucking and sucking are innate behaviors that begin before birth. Unborn children suck their thumbs as early as the fifth month of pregnancy, which can be seen on many ultrasound images.

In babies, thumb sucking often begins in the womb. It prepares itself for sucking on the breast and is absolutely normal. In the baby age, sucking on the thumb serves as calming and sleeping aid.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association recommend that children should stop at age 3 as chronic sucking can contribute to changes in growth and development and tooth alignment.

Thumb-sucking is ok and from an educational point of view nothing speaks against a baby sucking the thumb. Until the end of the second year of life, suckling serves as a consolation for calming down and as a sleep aid.

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

- Thumb sucking helps the child to calm down and sleep through the night.
- In contrast to the pacifier, the thumb can not 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 come to different results. Approximately 20% of 1-year-olds and 6% of 5-year-olds do suck thumb.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Dental Association recommend that children should stop at age 3 as chronic sucking can contribute to changes in growth and development and tooth alignment.

- Thumb sucking and 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 than the thumb.
- Thumb-sucking children have a reduced risk of allergies.

In the baby age, sucking on the thumb serves as calming and sleeping aid and is considered as a normal behavior. For older children Thumb-sucking can be considered a habit and and it's relatively common. It's estimated that around 6% of 5-year-olds do suck on the thumb.

Very hard thumb sucking well beyond the usual age can be a behavioral disorder that requires psychological evaluation.

Most children have a favorite thumb or finger. However, there is a wide variety.

There are many ways to help your child break the thumb-sucking habit:
- Observe 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 sucking)
- There are good children's books that deal with thumb sucking. You can find an overview of the best children's books under Book overview.
- Give the thumb a identity (e.g. the thumb likes to hide in the mouth). More details on this under thumb identity.
- Use an anti-suckling 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 against thumb sucking

For very young children (<6 months), switching to a pacifier can be worthwhile, as the weaned off is much more easily than the thumb.

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

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

Thumb-sucking cannot be completely prevented. However, 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.

- The pacifier is less harmful to teeth and jaws and is easier to wean off.
- 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
- 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 a detailed description and further tips and tricks in our book review.

There are many products available that can help the child stop thumb sucking. Which of these is the right one depends heavily on the child, the age of the child and the degree of thumb sucking. You can find a detailed overview of the best products in the product overview.