When to help your baby stop sucking pacifier or thumb?

Many infants resort to pacifier (or thumb) To reassure or fall asleep alone, or to adapt to the small stress of the surrounding environment, such as noise, light or cold.
In a very tender age, the contraindications are mainly linked to issues of hygiene (habit can make children more susceptible to ears infections), but in general It is not a not recommended practiceon the contrary: according to the latest evidence, the use of the pacifier in the first months of life also reduces the risk of death in the cradle (The sudden death syndrome of the infant – SIDS).

But when it would be better, with growth, interrupt their habit?
And with which strategies?

The survey

The CS Mott Children’s Hospital of the University of Michigan (USA) has just conducted a national survey between parents on these themes.
About half of the parents interviewed said that their child Use (or used) the pacifierabout a quarter He said he sucks himself the thumb (or other fingers).

The parents confirmed that the children more commonly resorted to pacifier or thumb before going to bed, during the nap or when they were agitated. However, the habit also extended i moments of distractionin front of the TV or other videos. About 14% of the parents said that their child used pacifier or thumb almost constantly.

Four out of five parents they said they think that the use of the pacifier should cease before the two years And three out of five parents thought it about sucking the thumb.
1 parent out of 11 believed he had acted too late to prevent the son from using the pacifier.

The Most common tactics For the « weaning » from the pacifier they were limiting its use to the hour of going to bed, hiding or « losing » it and making the child understand that he is too big.
The parents also reported that the habit of sucking the thumb was more difficult to abandon: most of them chose to remove the child’s hand from the mouth and remind him to stop, 18% gave their child a child stuffed animal alternatively, while one in 11 used deterrent as Spicy sauce, vaseline or gloves to discourage the habit.

The problems

According to experts two years of life To abandon the habit would be too many: the benefits of self -consolation of the use of the pacifier (or the thumb) begin to decrease with growth and exhortation is to try to get used to the little ones Starting from 6 months of age.
The most evident problem with the prolonged use of pacifier and thumb is the probability of compromise the dental archthe palate and cause a teeth misalignment: It is therefore important to intervene before the permanent teeth snacks.

The techniques

Between 2 and 4 years old, many children stop using the pacifier or suck their thumbs alone, but in many cases the parents may have to intervene.
The important thing – the experts say – is to take into account age, temperament and how the child faces the transition by offering kindness and patience.

Some children can be convinced to have become too large for the pacifier, others can be motivated with stickers or other small ones reward. Many parents choose to remove the pacifier gradually, others opt for a clear cut (« the pacifier has taken it »). In some cases replace it with a Plush or a doll It can work.

Helping a small child stop sucking his thumb is really more difficult. Parents may have to distract the child and involve him in manual activitieswhile with older children they could speak and/or promise small rewards.