Thumb sucking is a comforting and relaxing behavior for many toddlers. In most cases, toddlers will naturally stop sucking on their thumb by the time they reach the age of three. In some instances, however, thumb sucking becomes a habit that is difficult to break. If thumb sucking is allowed to persist for too long, it may cause permanent damage to your toddler’s mouth and teeth. It can also interfere with his social interaction skills, affect his ability to cope with stress, and cause him to speak with a lisp.

If your toddler hasn’t given up his thumb sucking habit yet, you might want to try the following suggestions:

• Motivate your Toddler - Your toddler can’t be forced to give up his thumb sucking habit. He has to want to do it. Talk to him about quitting, and gently encourage him to stop.

• Make him feel grown up - Don’t label your toddler’s thumb sucking as childish. Instead focus on all of the grownup behaviors he exhibits, such as buttoning his own shirt, or putting away his toys after he finishes playing with them. The more recognition he receives for acting grown up, the more incentive there will be for him to kick his thumb sucking habit.

• Supply Substitutes - Try to keep your toddler’s mind and mouth off his thumb. Engage him in silly songs, stories, or musical instruments that are played with the mouth. Let him drink through a straw and give him nutritious snacks that require a lot of chewing, such as apple slices.

• Praise his efforts - It is important that you praise and reward your toddler for his efforts to quit sucking his thumb. Try tracking his progress for a couple weeks. For each day that he doesn’t suck his thumb, place a gold star on a calendar. Tell him that if he can go two weeks without sucking his thumb, you’ll spend a special afternoon at the zoo as a treat.

• Enlist Professional Help - If all else fails, you may need to seek help from your toddler’s pediatrician or a dentist. They can tell him that sucking his thumb can do damage to his teeth and mouth. In many cases, this is all that a toddler will need to hear to convince him to quit. A pediatric dentist can also install an oral device that makes it uncomfortable for your toddler to suck on his thumb and also relieves pressure on his teeth and palate.

Thumb sucking is a comforting habit for many toddlers. While most toddlers will stop sucking their thumb by the age of three, others need help to stop. If your toddler hasn’t been able to stop sucking his thumb on his own, try using these simple suggestions to help him quit.