Thumb Sucking: Habit or Hazard?

When to get that thumb out of a child’s mouth – and why. This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health. Studies show that over 3/4ths of all infants suck their thumb, as do a third or more of American pre-school age children. Among six-year olds, about one in eight sucks their thumb, and in children age seven to eleven, an estimated 6% still do it.

Where all this thumb sucking leads, from a medical standpoint, depends on when the child quits. The most common adverse health effect of thumb sucking is what dentists call malocclusion of the teeth, which typically shows up as an overbite. Most children who suck their thumbs develop malocclusion, but if they stop sucking their thumb by six years of age, the malocclusion usually corrects itself. In addition to causing overbite, thumb sucking can cause other tooth and jaw problems, as well as calluses, dermatitis of infections of the thumb itself.

To help parents deal with their thumb sucking child, experts who reviewed this subject for the American Academy of Family Physicians suggest some guidelines. If the thumb sucking child is less than two years of age, “don’t be concerned, thumb sucking is normal at this age.” If the child is age three to five years, minimize stress and provide a warm and caring emotional environment. And if the child is over six years of age, remove the thumb from the child’s mouth during thumb sucking, support the child emotionally with a hug or compliment, and then distract the child with another activity. Thumb sucking at age six and beyond also merits a conversation with the child’s doctor and dentist.

For a copy of this script, access our website: speakingofhealth.com. Speaking of Health, I’m Dr. Steven Andrew Davis.