It’s super cute when your infant finds his or her thumb and starts sucking. You know it’s a natural thing and it is soothing. But what if baby continues sucking into the toddler years, pre-school years…even into elementary school years? That’s not a good thing.

Why? Because thumb sucking can mess with the alignment of your child’s teeth. Actually, I speak from experience on this. A family member sucked his finger well into elementary school, and it affected his teeth alignment, including a slight overbite—he needed extensive orthodontia to correct the issues. That can get very expensive.

Here are some tips to get your thumb sucker to stop:

• Start early.
  Kids typically grow out of thumb sucking by ages 2 or 3. But it’s a good idea to start working on breaking the habit when they are 18 months. That’s the age where habits begin to settle in and also when children identify attachment objects. Try to encourage a special blanket or stuffed animal instead. Better to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later.
  
  
• Use distraction.
  Experts say that when parents repeatedly tell their children to stop sucking their thumbs and take the thumb out of their mouths, this actually reinforces the thumb as something extra enjoyable and desirable. Instead, try to distract them with an activity for which they’ll need two hands. Of course this can be challenging and won’t always work depending on where you are, but give it a try for a little while. For example, you could encourage playing with toys that require two hands—have a few different varities so it doesn’t get boring.
  
  
• Give praise when not thumb sucking.
  Definitely avoid scolding or punishing for thumb sucking. In addition to lots of hugs, kisses, words of praise and encouragement, you can create a reward chart. Your child gets stickers for not sucking his or her thumb and at the end of the week gets to go pick out a special toy or go on a fun outing.
  
  
• Look for sources of stress.
  Kids who are experiencing stress in their lives, are overtired or having developmental difficulties may suck their thumb. If your child is sucking his or her thumb at an older age, it may be time to make some scheduling changes: go to bed earlier bedtime, participate in fewer activities or seeing a doctor about possible developmental delays. One the other hand, if your child stops sucking his or her thumb and then starts it up again, that’s a sign that something may be wrong. It can mean your child is anxious and it should be looked into. Talk with your child’s pediatrician. He or she can make a referral to a child psychologist.
  
  
• Try a device.
  There are plastic covers to place on and bad-tasting substances to paint on your child’s thumb specifically made to curb thumb sucking. Check with your physician, however, before using—just to make sure of the products’ safety. Sometimes these work, sometimes they don’t. It may be worth a try if other steps aren’t working.

Of course, improving your kids' oral health should be a priority. These are all good strategies for thumb sucking, but at the end of the day, none may work. There are lots of things to sweat when you have kids. Thumb sucking will likely subside in time and when your child is ready!