Decoding the reason for thumb sucking in children

During the first few months of life, almost every baby likes to put their hands in their mouths. Thumb sucking gives children a pleasure to help them grow up day by day and it is also considered one of the interesting games for children in the first years of life. Besides that cause, thumb sucking is also a warning sign of the following problems.

Hungry

According to the CDC, during the newborn months, a sucking baby may be trying to tell you they’re hungry. That makes the baby feel comfortable, stimulated like rediscovering the feeling of breast milk and being close to the mother. This is a continuation of children’s natural reflexes and will disappear when they enter the age of 3 – 5 years.

Self-soothing

Young babies often doze on their mother’s breast or bottle. Therefore, they may associate the sucking reflex to help children relax and cool down. According to the Mayo Clinic, thumb sucking gives children peace of mind, and some children may eventually develop a habit of thumb sucking when they need to be soothed or ready for bed.

Teethe

Most babies start teething between 4 and 7 months old. If you see your baby often put his hand in his mouth, it could be a sign that his baby’s teeth are gradually forming. Dr. Sahira Long – director of the Anacostia Center for Children’s Health (USA) said: “Infants explore the world by using their mouths. When they discover they have hands, they begin to explore them.”

Is thumb sucking dangerous?

Thumb sucking is normal for young children and most will automatically stop sucking by the age of 3 to 4 years. According to the American Dental Association, this behavior usually doesn’t cause problems during the first few years of a child’s life. However, if your baby is still sucking after the age of 4, it becomes a concern.

Because when the permanent teeth begin to grow, sucking on the thumb with continuous strong sucking or pushing with the tongue can cause some damage to the teeth and jaw, leading to tooth deformities such as protruding jaws. teeth and jaw pushed out) or underbite (a jaw retracted inward), misaligned bite, difficult to pronounce. To improve their baby’s thumb sucking, parents can do the following:

If your child is sucking because of the pain of teething, give him a teething toy, cold towel, or frozen feeding tray.

Create a distraction for children with age-appropriate games that help them relax at times when they are about to suck their thumbs.

When children grow up, parents need to have patience to help children gradually give up sucking by talking with children about the harmful effects; At the same time, spend time with your child with brain and physical development games to help him temporarily forget about thumb sucking.

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