Almost all parents are faced with the problem that a child sucks his fingers. Moreover, a similar problem occurs almost immediately after birth crumbs. And to parents gets quite tricky question of how to wean the baby sucking her thumb? Someone comes in accordance with the advice of friends, older relatives, with information from various sources, some prefer to seek the help of doctors - pediatricians - the answer to the question "child sucks his thumb, what to do", everyone is looking for - their own way.
However, not all the tips to help save the child from this habit, and not all of them are safe for health, including psychological. And, moreover, they do not help to overcome the main problem - they do not eliminate the root cause of this habit of thumb sucking. The following are the main factors that provoke this problem and how to resolve them.
Forming the habit of sucking her thumb as psychological dependence, it occurs about the time when the child reaches the age of three months. And indeed able to do this as there is no earlier than three months - about that age a child acquires the skill to coordinate their movements and can poke a finger in his mouth. By the way, the child can suck not only a finger but also any other subject, up to the border below the blanket. Until recently, doctors have not seen this phenomenon is nothing negative, considering it just a bad habit, and no more.
However, the latest research and observations of many such kids have shown that the negative effect on the body caused by the habit of constantly sucking her thumb, still exists.
Because of the child's thumb sucking can be observed:
- Pathological disorders proper formation maxillo - facial preparation.
- Formation of malocclusion, especially if a child sucks his thumb during active teething.
- In that case, if the child already has milk teeth, thumb sucking can lead to warping.
- Problems with nail plate due to a permanent location in a wet environment (saliva).
Reasons sucking fingers
So, now we will try to deal with the main problem - that it becomes a cause of the habit of sucking her finger? With the power of modern medicine, in particular, ultrasound, doctors were able to personally, with his own eyes, to observe prenatal development of the baby. And they see that the crumb starts sucking their fingers at once, as soon as they had come.
But during fetal development thumb sucking in any case it is not a bad habit, and even more so, how - or pathology. Only, but, nevertheless, a vital goal pursued by the baby sucking a finger, while still in the womb - is preparing for the birth and subsequent independent feeding. Indeed, in this case for thumb-sucking is responsible for the child's most important reflexes - sucking. After all, he is responsible for satisfying the most important needs of any human being - food needs.
By the way, the kids about the first six months of his life in this way - a manifestation of sucking reflex when the baby sucks palets- given to understand my mother about what they feel and voice and really would have liked to eat. By the way, this problem often occurs in those babies who are fed on schedule, and not for the first request.
Sucking a finger in the first six months of life obviously gives her mother know that her baby is not enough of the time he spends at the mother's breast. Perhaps my mother too little milk and the amount can not simply satisfy existing in a child need for nutrients, and possibly the fact that the child easy - simply too much developed sucking reflex, and the psychological tranquility baby should breastfeed for longer than Now.
Find out what makes it suck your little finger, you can only empirically. The first thing you need to do - is to increase the frequency of applying the crumbs to the chest. In no case should not assume that once your child is crying, so he does not lack milk. All children are very different in character and temperament - one kid raise hullabaloo at the first sign of hunger and another crumb will be silent, quietly sucking her finger, as long as the feeling of hunger will not be quite unbearable. It is much wiser, noticing that your baby sucks her finger, did not offer the breast every three hours and every two hours - as a rule, this simple measure is very often helps to get rid of thumb-sucking.
You should not fear that you will overfeed the child. At this age a child is only run by natural instincts and needs. And nature is much wiser than we are with you - the child simply will not eat more food than it needs for full development. If such a measure to increase the number of breastfeeding did not help get rid of the crumbs sucking thumb, try to increase the length of time spent by the child at the breast. Do not take the breast right after the baby stopped actively suckle, even if it seems to you that it is completely emptied it. Allow your child to decide when to release it from the mouth of the mother's nipple.
It goes without saying that such free access to the breast will create some discomfort for a woman - reducing the amount of free time, long located on the hands of a child. However, remember that in such a phenomenon, there are many positive aspects, including the strengthening of psychological and emotional connection with your child. Incidentally, in this case, to help the young mother can come slings that allow you to be in close contact with the child, but the mother's arms at the same time remain free - a woman can continue to go about their business.
Thumb sucking after six months
Those measures against thumb sucking, described above, are relevant only for the youngest children who are under six months old. But if a child sucks a finger older, parents should think very seriously about what is the cause of the presence of a child of such a habit.
And usually in children older than six months, the reasons why a child sucks his thumb, most often are:
- Regular physical discomfort - wet diapers, uncomfortable clothes, uncomfortable room temperature.
- Psychological stress. As strange as it may sound, but even such small children are able to experience stress.
- Unfavorable psychological climate in the family.
Kids who experience anxiety or excitement, sucking her finger to calm down. The calming effect is achieved through the sucking is produced in this process substances having a beneficial effect on the nervous system of the child, as well as the innate subconscious memory of thumb sucking in utero, when the baby was comfortable and cozy.
Closely observing the expression of his face crumbs before and during the process of sucking fingers, you will be able to verify the validity of this theory pediatricians. Stressed, anxious little face crumbs expression in his eyes changed during the process of sucking fingers - it becomes calm and peaceful.
By the way, European pediatricians do not consider the problem of finger sucking up until the crumbs begin teething. And there are no measures for weaning the child from the habit simple - simply do not take. But later, after the baby teeth appear instantly wean the baby sucking her thumb rather difficult.
Another very common reason that why the child sucks the thumb - a subconscious desire of the child to fall asleep quickly. Most often it occurs in the case where the child came from grudnichkovogo age, and especially if he only recently began to sleep in his bed, separated from the mother.
For a child like the separation with my mother is a heavy psychological test, because he used to always be close to my mother. And left alone, the child begins to experience anxiety, excitement, and sometimes is a real fear because of his loneliness. And Sucking fingers helps a child gain the psychological peace of mind and will to sleep.
Despite the apparent complexity, and in this case, to wean the baby from sucking fingers is possible, though not entirely easy. It is quite clear that the mother wants at least in the evening to have a bit of spare time, she can only devote themselves - for example, to take a bath, watch TV, or simply - simply go to bed a bit earlier. However, my mother still need to find a few extra minutes and what - the time given to the child.
Talk a little bit with the baby, tell him a story or read a book at the end - all, just sit next to him, patting his back. In that case you will notice that the finger crumbs unconsciously reached into her mouth, softly and gently hold his pen, not focusing attention on this, and especially not abusing the baby for this attempt.
Remember that the child acts subconsciously and can not control their actions, especially if a child sucks his thumb in his sleep.
By the way, to brighten up a child a minute of sleep is very effective help to plush toys. Child psychologists are advised to buy a child a stuffed toy of medium size, pleasant to the touch - remember that the baby very badly developed tactile sensitivity. Also be sure to take care that that the toy did not have small parts - eyes and nose should be embroidered thread, but not made of plastic. Small children have an amazing ability to detach from the toys, even those elements that are adult and not always tear off the first time.
A child of two - three years
In the event that the problem of sucking fingers encountered parents of two - three-year child, they can try to solve it through negotiations with the crumbs. Immediately I would like to warn parents about what you can not do in any case:
Talk about the inadmissibility of sucking fingers in any case should not be negative, condemnatory character. Explain the crumbs that the finger can not suck, but do not abuse it.
- Do not be intimidated crumbs.
Too many parents are prohibitively carefree easily relate to his own words. In order to achieve the result they need, parents can begin to frighten the child what - like, depending on their age - from the evil babayki to the orphanage. Parents do not attach much importance to his words, but they even can not imagine how a child responds to them and what they mean to him. Yes, most likely a child will stop your eyes sucking her thumb, but you can not even imagine what might appear psychological problems. This is too high a price on how to wean the baby sucking her thumb.
- In no case do not try to limit the freedom of the child.
Often from well-wishers, parents can listen to such advice as tying the handles to the baby crib, putting special sleeves that eliminate bending arms at the elbows and other "charms" of the Gestapo torture chamber. Such measures may also lead to the development of strong psychological trauma of children's fragile psyche.
- Do not use the pepper and mustard
In no case do not lubricate finger baby mustard, pepper and other bitter substances - you can not keep track of the child, not looking away for a second. And that would be the case if a pipsqueak inadvertently rubs his eyes, any parent can imagine easily.
Talk to your child about the inadmissibility of sucking fingers to be friendly - the child must feel that you are on his side, and you are - truly love him. Try to come up with your child a story about why you can not suck his thumb, and most of it is let to come up with the baby - so that suck the finger can not be firmly engraved in the minds of children. Get as much endurance and patience - the result will not take long and the problem lies in the fact that the child is constantly sucking finger, you will no longer worry.
