Should you be worried about your child's thumb or finger sucking? The British Orthodontic Society have this to say about the potential harmful effects of prolonged thumb / finger sucking: ‘One in every eight children (aged 7-11) have a prolonged digit sucking habit. If the habit continues beyond the age of 7, then the position of the adult teeth can be permanently affected and self-correction is less likely to occur. The child may require complex orthodontic treatment (braces) in the future to attempt to correct the tooth position’
As with all habits the longer it lasts the harder it is to stop.
The sooner it stops the less the effect.
Orthodontic treatment cannot start until the habit has stopped.
The child must want to stop.
(from BOS patient information leaflet)
Say Goodbye to Thumb Sucking
My 'Say Goodbye to Thumb Sucking' plan can be very effective in reducing or stopping thumb sucking.The approach I take is one where parents and child work together. In order for a child to change their behaviour, they have to want to; and providing incentives and finding ways to motivate them to want to change, is key. When done properly the child will end up feeling good about not thumb sucking, and the habit will be broken.
In a nutshell 'Say Goodbye to Thumb Sucking' teaches parents how to take the pressure off the child, and motivate them to want to break the habit themselves. Parents will follow each step of the plan and are encouraged to tailor it their own individual child. In this way both child and parent will be working together towards a goal that they both want to achieve. Suitable for children of school age who are still sucking their thumb during the day.
Testimonials: 'I thought I would let you know how we have been getting on since your visit. We put the plan into action straight away and did it solidly for four weeks. The first and last week were brilliant, the middle two were a bit hit and miss, it is hard work keeping going with it all the time. However I'm pleased to say that we are now in a position where our son (who as you know was sucking his thumb constantly) is now no longer thumb sucking at all during the day . It's been so lovely to see him enjoying all the praise and positive attention he's been getting,. Thank you so much for giving us the confidence to follow through with this.' (Mum of 7 year old boy)
'Thank you for the help and advice you gave us regarding our daughters thumb sucking, we have found it so useful. It was great to meet you and talk through your ideas which all made so much sense. I'm delighted to report that it has worked, and the amount of time she spends sucking her thumb has dramatically reduced, in fact it only really happens now if she is very tired. This is such a big improvement and it's so nice to see her without her thumb in her mouth all the time.' (Mum of 5 year old girl)
Price: Private appointment (if local to Cambridge) £80
Email / phone: £70 Contact me now with some details about your child's thumb or finger sucking habit.
