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How To Stop Thumb Sucking In A 2 Year Old?

Posted on Sat, 13 Dec 2014

Question: my daughter is 2years and 9 months.She has habit of thumb sucking mostly when she is asleep or when she is upset/crying. I try to coach her/tell her about the I'll effects of thumb sucking and to some extent it seems she also understands this.But thumb sucking still remains a problem. I have been told that there exists some medicated solutions prescribed as safe for kids when applied on thumb discourages kids to suck thumb.Could you please suggest one?

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (46 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Thumb sucking suggetions

Detailed Answer:
Hi..Thumb sucking can be ignored normally till 5 years of age. By that time it will automatically go off.

But what you heard is also right. There are preparations like Denatonium Benzoate which are used to apply on the thumbs and the taste and smell will make the kid averse to sucking the thumb. But before suggesting you the trade names I would like to keep you informed about certain facts.

But there is not enough scientific data to support their usage in kids. Efficacy studies to date in children have shown that in a controlled environment, addition of denatonium benzoate to an otherwise palatable liquid will decrease the volume ingested. Toxicity data indicate a low toxicity profile. However, there are significant gaps in our knowledge, especially relating to chronic toxicity in humans, teratogenicity, and human hypersensitivity potential.

So keeping this in mind if I were your kid's paediatrician, I would not advise this for your kid. But as your query is specifically for the preparations available, they are available as liquids under the trade names such as Bitrex or Aversion.

Hope my answer was helpful for you. I am happy to help any time. Further clarifications and consultations on Health care magic are welcome. If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your kid good health.
Dr. Sumanth MBBS., DCH., DNB (Paed).,

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (1 hour later)

Thank you Dr XXXXXXX
I do understand that the OTC preparations and similar should not be used/avoided. For the same reason I have been not using them.
The reason that I am getting inclined to use such an option being the fact that the upper lip of my daughter is kind of projecting outwards as a result of thumb sucking and the teeths are also getting distorted.
Apart from the looks which right now doesn't seem to be a major concern but my fear is may aggravate over the time if not controlled.

Additionally thumb sucking doesn't look good and I want my daughter to get rid of it.
Any suggestions/ideas most welcome

Answered by Dr. Sumanth Amperayani (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Put a glove type biniding to the hand

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX ..this is an idea which I usually suggest in my clinic to many of my patients and many a times it works..

I suggest binding the hands of the baby individually with a soft, clean, non-irritant cotton cloth like a boxer's glove type of binding....this means that she should not be able to access her fingers individually to suck but at the same time her both hands should be free.

I wish your kid a speedy outcome out of the habit of thumb sucking. If you are happy with my suggestions, please rate the answer and give feed back. If you need any future medical consultation and suggestions, I will be glad to help. You can approach me at the following link. Please find the link below -

www.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-sumanth-amperayani/67696

Regards - Dr. Sumanth

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar