It is a phenomenon seen in normal children until the age of 3-4 without any psycho-pathological factors. Most babies suck their thumbs or fingers. Thumb sucking, which is a harmless behavior, can be seen in almost all babies. In the first 3-4 months after birth, sucking is normally the only way for a child to eat and drink. Sucking remains the main route until the end of the first year. It seems that children enjoy this activity in a certain way and degree. The frequency of the sucking reflex varies depending on the child.
REASONS:
Newborn babies learn to suck their thumb. They learn it in the womb and one of the strongest reflexes they have from birth is sucking. Some babies suck their fingers when new teeth are growing, and some suck their fingers as a sign of embarrassment and boredom when they encounter difficulties. He may suck his thumb and sometimes even his toe. It can be accepted that this behavior arises from the need to know and explore the environment. There are opinions that the basis of thumb sucking is the inadequacy of the mother-child relationship and the child's underdeveloped sense of trust.
In addition, thumb sucking is closely related to sleep. Many children suck their fingers when they are drowsy and falling asleep. Some 2-year-old children resist putting their fingers in their mouths while falling asleep. At the age of 3, this habit may disappear spontaneously during sleep.
Events such as sudden fear, separation of parents, illness of a loved one or death.
Not paying enough attention to the child as a result of unrest in the family
The child's desire to regain the attention he thinks he has lost with the birth of a new sibling.
The feeling that his mother or father, who is away from home due to long-term separations, no longer loves him.
Thumb sucking during infancy. It may occur when the sucking instinct is not satisfied enough as a result of early weaning, not using a bottle or a false breast.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Parents should investigate the reason why their children develop thumb sucking behavior. Solution when the event that causes the child to suck his thumb is found ü will follow. More attention, more communication and more love make conditions more suitable for the child.
Since this habit provides relaxation and confidence to the child, parents should initially ignore thumb sucking and The child should wait for the child to quit on his/her own
. Efforts to discourage thumb sucking are met with resistance by the child until the age of 3. Thumb sucking, which intensifies around the 18th month, is expected to disappear towards the age of 4. Waiting can be a difficult situation for parents. However, focusing the child's attention on this issue in a pressured and persistent manner during this period may cause the behavior to be reinforced. Because forcing the child to give up his habit and being stubborn will start a vicious cycle full of negative energy. This doesn't help either side. Like bedwetting, thumb sucking decreases with age. For this reason, intervention should be avoided in early childhood.
The fact that the family constantly talks about the child's thumb sucking behavior and causes a tense atmosphere at home
does not prevent this behavior from disappearing in the child, nor does it prevent the child from developing tics.
It may also cause other problems such as nail biting and stuttering
Blaming and punishing the child for sucking his thumb even though he is of school age may reduce the child's self-confidence. Therefore, the family should reassure the child by making the necessary explanations, without pushing him to a feeling of guilt.
When the child is ready to give up the habit, they should be ready to help him
. Birthdays or other days that mark annual changes are periods when you can talk to your child about his/her habits. During these conversations,
You should not try to make the child make promises that he does not want to keep, by leaving the child the right to decide when to give up the habit.
Due to his age, the child cannot understand verbal explanations, and even if he understands, he continues the behavior
< If he sucks his thumb, you can try to make him forget by drawing his attention to other things (such as giving him a toy, directing him to another activity, singing a song or a nursery rhyme). The mother's effort is not enough. Because in the child's world, parents are a whole. Only someone's attention, compassion and love will not satisfy the child. The father also needs to take responsibility for the child's development.If he sucks his thumb while falling asleep, his hand can be removed from his mouth after he falls asleep. Because
If the child continues to sleep by sucking his/her thumb, it makes it easier for the habit to become established.
Since sanctions such as tying hands or applying pain will make the situation even more difficult, such behaviors should be avoided.
The following steps can also be applied to change thumb sucking behavior.
1) Steps to Reverse the Habit:
In this method, you can break an obsessive habit (thumb sucking, nail biting, etc.). .) steps are used to break. Although it is quite simple, the child must be at least 6-7 years old to apply it.
You should decide together with the child how to carry out the application, and make sure that your child is willing to do it.
2) Avoid any discomfort. Review:
List with your child the difficulties caused by this habit. Why does the child want to get rid of this? Which situations cause problems for him? step. Prepare two charts. Mark one for you, and another for when and where your child repeats the obsessive movement. After a week, compare your charts
.
4)Alternative Response:
This is the key step in this method. To stop the habit, agree with your child on something he will do each time he repeats the obsessive movement. This should be such a behavior that it does not seem strange to others even though it is done for minutes, does not interfere with your child's normal activity and makes him/her aware of the obsessive behavior.
The table below developed by Azrin and Nunn may give you an idea on this subject:
What Should Be Done Instead of Obsessive Action?
Obsession� � Habit Alternative Exercise
Thumb Sucking Fist Clenching
Nail Biting Holding Objects
Plucking Eyelashes and Eyebrows Holding Objects
Head Shaking-Neck Grinding Neck Tightening
5)Corrective and Preventive Response:
Once he learns the alternative response, have him use it to interrupt the habit or prevent it from occurring.
6 )Linked Behavior:
Try to identify the behavior he did just before the obsessive movement and have him use the alternative response to stop the previous linked behavior (Ex: noticing that he started shaking his feet before biting his nails is linked behavior).
7)Relaxation Exercise:
There are many relaxation techniques you can choose. You can get information from the school psychological counselor.
8) Social Support:
These support efforts may come from you or a close friend as encouragement or praise.
9)Trial:
Guide your child to make the alternative behavior a routine by repeating it every day. Also suggest that he try the alternative response while thinking about situations in which the obsession occurs.
10) Record:
Record the frequency of the habit
on a daily basis to see how much progress he is making.
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