Cait Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I know there'll be someone with some ideas I've not thought of, but a Mum came to me this week and showed me her 18 month old son's fingers, which he sucks, continuously. He has his index and middle finger in his mouth all the time, palm down and has now caused such a weakness in his nails that one has almost come off completely, having broken away from the nail bed at the cuticle. Having had a good look at it, it's obvious that it's going to come off, and doesn't seem to be causing him any discomfort, he was happy for me to investigate how loose it was and giggled at me. Mum was obviously concerned and asked if I had any suggestions to convince him to stop sucking his fingers. (He's a very 'happy chappy' and doesn't appear to be doing it for comfort, it's more habit now.) She really wants him to stop sucking them now, before he does any more damage. Obvious ideas to suggest to her were tastes he doesn't like, or perhaps a fabric sticking plaster, so it doesn't taste and feel right in his mouth. Has anyone any other ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 I think I might try giving him a dummy. I know some people would see that as a backwards step but if it breaks the finger sucking habit it can then be more easily controlled. You can wean a child off a dummy gradually. He may be too old to accept a dummy now but it might be worth a try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjayne Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 A glove or some sort of bandage like dressing on the hand might work - if only to remind him that it doesn't taste so good when his fingers head towards his mouth. I know people condone dummies but at the end of the day at least they can be thrown away - fingers and thumbs are less easy to keep out of mouths being firmly attached . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 My daughter sucked her middle and ring finger for years (probably until she was 8 or 9) and had the callouses from her teeth on the tops of her fingers to show for it! We tried sticking plasters, micropore tape, sellotape, electrical tape, nail-biting solution, painting her nails, star charts, rewards, bribes, threats (!) and nothing worked The more she was bothered by what we tried the more she sucked her fingers! Eventually we agreed that she could suck her fingers when she was tired *, just before bed, but not at any other time. Slowly, this broke the habit and one day she just stopped! (*Not entirely without a hitch - when her Y3 teacher asked why she was sucking her fingers she replied that she did it when she was bored ) I'd maybe suggest Mum checks with the GP in view of the damage to his nail but I'm afraid there's no miracle cure we discovered. Nona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 My own child used to do this and he would suck his finger till it would bleed.... i stopped it by painting his nails with the stuff that stops you from biting them that stuff that tastes disgusting.... it did work........... just a thought... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panders Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 One girl who has now left our nursery sucks her thumb quite a bit, mum puts a "thumb guard" over it, it is made of a malleable plastic which then does up round the wrist, may be something is made for the two fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted March 24, 2010 Author Share Posted March 24, 2010 I suggested that nail stuff - but we weren't sure how little tummies would take it - we also thought of chilli sauce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upsy Daisy Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 I suggested that nail stuff - but we weren't sure how little tummies would take it - we also thought of chilli sauce! How cruel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 I would probably try the nail stuff... it is more of a taste than something which is ingested in quantity.. hopefully a few goes and he will begin to stop trying.. trouble with this is htough if he sucks it all off then it will need re applying at intervals.. gloves coverings anything like that can be removed and probably will be at that age... and giving a dummy as substitute may also help.. but he may not take ot this readily.. they are easier to lose or remove than fingers or thumbs.. one of the reasons I gave my son one.. but in a way I could control... Gp may give some advice or does she have a nurses clinic at the practice she could go and ask there.. sounds like the sooner this is resolved the better for the child and parent.. as it would go on for a long time as others have said Inge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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