''My child constantly sucks his thumb.'' ''He puts his finger in his mouth before going to sleep.'' ''He keeps his finger in his mouth even while watching television.'' ''I'm now afraid that his teeth will be damaged.'' ''I warn him all the time, but continues.''
Dear parents, thumb sucking behavior in children is not always a sign of something bad. On the other hand, it may also be a situation that should be taken into consideration. This should be evaluated as a process. You can harm your child by making instant decisions and treating this behavior as a problem. What is important here is the age at which the child continues this behavior and the emotion the child feels while performing this action.
Children develop certain behaviors at certain stages. During the child's development, he develops certain behaviors in order to repair himself and make emotional regulations. For example, a child whose room has just been separated needs to replace the mother's gap with something in order to regulate his emotions during the first time he sleeps away from his mother. Sometimes this may be attachment to an object, and sometimes it may be behaviors such as nail biting or thumb sucking. While we are waiting for children to acquire a new behavior, it is important to replace it with something healthy. In a situation where we do not put it, the child may develop new behaviors to relieve himself and fill that gap. Sometimes this is a solution to make the process more comfortable, sometimes it can become permanent and damage functional areas.
Finger sucking behavior is normal until the age of 4.
Finger sucking behavior is observed in almost all babies. Sometimes it is an action they do to scratch their palate and teeth, and sometimes to feel safe. Sometimes it may be a behavior that he develops when he is hungry and cannot get breast milk. If these behaviors, which usually occur when falling asleep, when hungry, when alone or when frightened, last until the age of 4, there is nothing to be afraid of. However, if the child continues to suck his thumb after this age range or has made it a habit later, psychological reasons should be sought.
Pay attention to parental attitudes. at!
As in every behavior, parental attitudes are of great importance in thumb sucking behavior. If the parents have a very controlling and oppressive attitude, the child who cannot gain self-confidence may show thumb sucking behavior. For example; In children who have not acquired toilet training or whose education process is still ongoing, the mother's constant attention or controlling behavior may push them to do this behavior. On the other hand, the need to attract attention is also an important issue. Children may show thumb sucking behavior to attract the attention of their parents. When children think that their parents are not paying enough attention to them, they may act like a younger child to get their parents' attention again. For example; During moving processes, school change, or the arrival of a new sibling, the child may suck his thumb, thinking or feeling the possibility of losing existing interest. When children experience psychological problems and tension, they may reflect their distress by sucking their thumbs. Problems within the family (for example, parents' divorce) may cause this behavior in the child.
So, to summarize, it is necessary to draw attention to three situations:
- Parental attitudes (authoritarianism, overprotectiveness, controlling attitudes that we call helicopter family)
- Lungry for attention or fear of losing existing interest
- Psychological problems or changes, tense processes.
- Having learned the sucking reflex in the womb and continuing this reflex.
In short; Thumb sucking behavior, which is considered normal in children until the age of 3-4, is a phenomenon that is always seen until the age of 3-4 without any pathological factors. Our suggestion to parents is that the child continues to suck his thumb after the age of 4 or makes thumb sucking a habit later, as this will make him feel unloved and insecure. It may also be a sign. If this process takes a long time and you think quitting will be painful, it is recommended that you seek expert support.
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