The child sucks his finger

1994/10/01 Agirre, Jabier - Medikua eta OEEko kidea Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

The instinct or passion of the newborn and the infant for sucking his mother's breast or bottle is fundamental to the child's survival. But 80% of children, in addition, suck their thumb or fingers, although they are not hungry. This is known as “non-nutritious suction”, since it has no direct relationship with maintenance.

On the other hand, the thumb rebounding helps the child to feel good and like, a fact that is accentuated when the bottle intake is isolated and stops taking the breast. This does not mean that the child has insecurity or any emotional problem. On other occasions the child will use some object (blanket, head or doll) instead of the finger within this ritual.

Some authors believe that the finger begins to undermine before birth, or no later than three months. The need to suck is very strong in the first six months of life. Two and a half years old, one in three children still sucks his finger and another third uses artificial spare parts. The frequency of this “abnormal” behavior continues to decline (with 4 years children sucking their finger are 15%) and from the age of 4 the parents are involved when they try to make the child leave this habit.

The sucking of the finger from a certain age should be considered as a habit or harmful habit, since it can alter the shape of the dental arches. And its explanation is double: by a direct pressure exerted by the finger and by a decrease in intra-bucal pressure derived from the action of sucking. Many parents are worried about whether these facial malformations will last, but the latest research indicates that, if small and curious exceptions are eliminated, it is very difficult to create permanent distortions in the bones of the face.

In most cases the effect is usually localized, the vertical solape of the incisors is not performed properly and “the dentures are open”, that is, although the rear teeth and the teeth are in occlusion, the upper ones pressed against the lower ones, the previous pieces and the incisors in particular, the upper ones do not coincide with the lower ones.

However, when this habit persists in children over the age of 8, other defects or deformations may appear: the incisors go ahead, etc. Several factors must be taken into account: which finger sucks exactly, how the finger is placed inside the mouth, how long it stays inside the mouth, as well as the shape and behavior of the tongue and lips.

When the finger is stopped sucking, the anterior teeth and alveoli usually grow until a correct occlusion is recovered, unless there is another abnormal factor. And despite not leaving this custom until 10 years, that defect of the teeth is solved by itself. It does not, therefore, make much sense to worry about this custom as the definitive incisions begin to emerge (6-7 years). And there are other reasons to explain the malocclusion of the teeth, some of which are so important as to justify corrective orthodontics.

What should parents do?

Before age 4, ignore that custom of your sons and daughters and try to distract the child with something else. Thumb sucking should be considered as something “normal”, especially when the child is tired. If the child has more than a year and a half and when he is boring sucks his finger, give him something to play with his hands or use it in his hands, but not to mention that concern. While your baby is not able to reason don't force you to leave it in any case, because you can get the right thing backwards.

When your child is 4 years old, help the child unlearn that custom during the day. First, try to get your help by showing that that custom can be harmful. Show him the distance between his upper and lower teeth in the mirror or the alley that has been created when observing it. At this point many children will tell you that they would also like to leave that “bad” custom.

Help him control this habit while sleeping. Once you manage not to suck your finger during the day, you should keep it during the nap or during the night sleep. Sucking your finger during sleep is usually an involuntary process. Notice the child and remember it in some way: covering the finger with something (a glove or sock, a tip of esparadrapo), and this will be much more effective if the child does it before going to sleep. Try to get your support, certainly more useful than sanctions.

If the child is over 4 years old, you can also use some bitter taste liquid. Studies conducted in the US have shown that the use of a bad taste liquid with a reward system allows to achieve high levels of success. Among us there are this type of bitter liquids that are marketed in pharmacies without prescription (it would be MORDEX, for example) The amounts that are used with this intention do not imply any damage. In any case, do not use these liquids as punishment, but as a “system with success and use by other children”, always according.

Help the child put the liquid on the surface of the thumb; before breakfast and when going to bed, depending on whether he sucks his finger during the day, night, or the other. And while the child is asleep, check every half an hour if the finger sucks or not until you go to bed. When he has spent five nights without sucking his finger, do not give him more liquid, but if he resumes, resume the program.

Do not forget to take the child to the dentist when he or she turns six and begins to take the final teeth. Dentists have other types of solutions that solve dental malformations if requested.

But above all, also in this case PREVENTION. It is possible that a child over four years of age can prevent a finger sucking without being broken, without being humble, without saying he is a “little child” or without punishing him. Such actions have no positive consequences. On the contrary, if you wait, your child will leave this custom on his own.

And with the pacifier what? We leave this for the next.

Consult your pediatrician if:

1. If the child is more than four years old and does not stop sucking his finger.
2. If the child is over five years old and when angry sucks his finger.
3. If the child is over six years old and occasionally sucks his finger.
4. If your child has emotional problems.
5. If this custom of sucking your finger is tried with some technique and is not solved.
6. If you have any other questions or concerns about this topic.