Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Thumbs-up to thumb-sucking?


Lot of the toddlers in Smera’s generation within my family have thumb-sucking habit. Statistically speaking, three out of the four kids in the family have or had this problem.  To be fair I am only using statistics from Smera’s paternal side of cousins.

I was not startled when Smera too found relief with this habit, whilst I was not a fan, atleast she was taking care of herself when she started teething. When relatives and others started noticing we felt the pressure of helping her to get rid of this problem. Typical sign of a parental peer pressure! We refused to bow down to it for a while – a year to be precise, but things must change now or so I thought.



I turned to internet for solution to get rid of this problem. Armed with all the google-guided knowledge, I have used multiple techniques to kick her habit – threatening, scolding, checking with her doctors, consulting other parents. Most of them tend to point to a bitter nail polish. However I was not very keen on it, as wherever I checked, the pharmacist mentioned that the child has to be at least 3 years to conduct that experiment.

During the latest of my thumb sucking anxiety bout, I walked in to a pharmacy to meet my savior. The lovely pharmacist gave me the bitter nail polish and the confidence to try it out on my little one.  I re-checked with her to make sure but was convinced with her reassuring tone ‘No problem Ma’am, this will work!’

And one day last week, I finally laid my hands on the perfect potion to cure this problem. So all excited I discussed my plans with the hubby to apply it on her thumb next morning before sending her to school. The day started on a good note, without much fuss she had her breakfast and even finished her milk, then I applied the medicine on her explaining to how it would help her.

All set we get into the car to drop her first at her school and then to meet up my friends for a coffee morning. As soon as she was buckled up in went her finger, this was the first time Smera realised what bitter taste is. A few meters into the drive everything that she ate came out, forcing me to go back to square one – home!

The problem didn’t end there, it wasn’t going to be so easy-peasy for me. God had made the prefect plan to punish me, I washed her with soap and water but the medicine did not go – it was water-resistant! Next I wanted to try the nail-polish remover but the crying child won’t even let me touch her, then I turn to google.com but all that didn’t help either or maybe I was too hassled to even browse through the pages.

Finally I filled the bath-tub with bubbles and got her to play in the water, thankfully this trick has never failed me so far and it worked when I really wanted. While she was playing I try to scrub of her thumb with some soap and water and after good 7-8 attempts the medicine was finally gone, leaving me grounded for the day and with no coffee.

This episode left a bitter taste but gave me a chance to reflect upon things and a lesson to let go of things a little – as my wiser half says ‘Have you seen any grown ups sucking thumb ?, take it easy !’ 

28 comments:

  1. I would suggest keep telling her, keep telling her, keep telling her the effect of thumb sucking... [broken-record concept] for sure she will realize it a week... that how children are... like fresh tapes it up to you to record something which you want to...

    "Have you seen any grown ups sucking thumb ?, take it easy ! " :) :) I liked this and that's all to it

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    1. That's what I am planning to do for now .. I will tell her, till the day she breaks the habit .. :D

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  2. Awwwwwww ,now i reallyy don't know what to say :( :( but i really think k as she will grow up ,she will realize it by her self :) :) as you concluded it by "Have you seen any grown ups sucking thumb ?, take it easy ! so just keep calm and enjoy :D :D

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    1. :( She already know know it's something she is not suppose to do and I am sure in time she would leave the habit too ... Till then I will have to be calm :D

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  3. Oops!! That was bad!! Never heard of this bitter nail-polish! Recently read a nice tip here... http://eccentricgrandmum.blogspot.in/2012/11/parenting.html
    Its harmless and beautiful too. Check it out!! May be that could help.
    And as you rightly said, take it easy! :)

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    1. Thanks Shilpa ... Just read the link and I think that's a brilliant idea .. I will try this for Smera .. Thanks you once again girl !!

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  4. I can understand your situation Sangs. Sam used to suck her thumb too and in her it was only when she was sleepy or feeling very sleepy. So the normal methods of coaxing, telling stories, mittens etc was of absolutely no use for us.
    When I started noticing that it was affecting her gum structure a bit I decided to use the bitter nail polish. It was one very bad day for us but within three days she stopped her thumb sucking completely. I know using it has a very bad rap but kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. I blogged about this here http://www.themomviews.com/how-to-stop-thumbsucking-in-kids-our-experience/ Might be useful!!

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    1. Swapna di I did read about your past, it was part of my google-guided research and we were sort of prepared too but on the day I couldn't see her cry .. I am hoping she will out grow it soon ..

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  5. I can understand your situation ! My elder sis used to suck her thumbs till she was 13 ! My mom tried e'thing ...her friends used to hit her ...tease her still she continued ... And then one fine day she just gave it up ...just like that ..on her own ....
    Keep trying ...good luck :)

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    1. 13 years OMG .. I hope Smera comes out of it soon :D

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  6. Well I am not sure if i am the right one to say anything , But I would say just keep reminding .. it will be fine

    and as the better half said "have you seen adults do that "..

    The little one will be over it soon All the best ..

    Bikram's

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    1. Bikram that's exactly what I am planning to do for now lets hope she gets the message real soon :D

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  7. You are a great mother, and I am sure your child will grow out of it.

    btw, greetings from the land of the hobbits. Mallus have invaded here too.

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    1. Thank you for the comforting words Anil ...

      Long live Mallus !!

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  8. The poor baby I feel sorry for her... let her do her thing.... for some more time.. she will outgrow it.....
    But nothing to worry about the episode babies have short memory spans and you only had good intentions...:)

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    1. So I have realised and thank god for the short memory spans ... :D

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  9. Since it is my first time posting, I would like to say how awesome this blog is!

    Keeps my mind away from the bureaucratic loopholes I have to jump through for my 3rd year enrolment at waikato university.

    Why Management School? Why U taking long time to approve my supply chain management/marketing course

    >:(

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  10. Hi,I have faced trouble with my kid too with this habit.He finally quit when he was 3 when I had fisnished trying everything(even bitten neem leaf juice!).I did a cold thing of applying green chilly juice ,At 3 its safe not to burn their wind pipe and hot enough for them to desist .One whole day of doing and threatening and next few of just threats helped!BTW I know of grown ups who secretly still suck their thumb,close friends and even family!

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    1. Aiyo green chilly !! I hope I don't have to go to that extent .. :D

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  11. yes well I also do not know of adults who thumb suck... so I guess.. take it easy is the mantra..

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  12. Almost every kid goes through thumb sucking face, some quit with in days, some may stick to it for years. The more you will try to force him/her quit the habit, the more he/she will cling to it. A child finds emotional security, a solace in thumb sucking. Eventually he/she will quit it as you rightly said, 'We haven't seen any grown up sucking thumb'.

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    1. True Meenakshi !! she does it when she is bored or nervous or sleepy .. So i try to keep her busy all the time to kick her habit :D

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  13. Aww, my poor little sweetheart :(.
    She'll quit it when the time comes :). Please don't do any more experiments on the little one :D.
    I can't even imagine the cutie pie crying :(.

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    1. Princess I promise I will not try anything more on her ... Where have you been missed you !!

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  14. The issue isn't her sucking her thumb as an adult. It is the negative affects of thumb sucking, such as messing with the structure of the teeth, needing braces later in life, adding unneeded bacteria and other chemicals, and causing unnecessary pressure on the palette.

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  15. I have an 8 yr old who continues with this. And believe me utter strangers have walked up and told me to get rid of it because they had instances of grown ups continuing with this habit even after marriage (on the sly though)! Tried that nail polish too! My elder daughter puked because she kissed her sister, I couldn't get rid of it but the little one went back to sucking her thumb after crying for a minutes. Well! My dad did ask me to write to the manufacturer that they failed miserably!

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  16. Nice blog, thanks for your shared, Mom....you are really a great mother!

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