Thumb sucking is a common habit seen in some kids. Usually thumb sucking is seen as a gesture to show that the kid is hungry. However, some kids are seen sucking their thumb all the time. As parents it is important to remember that do not pull out the baby’s thumb when he or she puts it in. This is definitely not the way to deal with the problem. Most of the times, thumb sucking disappears after a period of time. All parents need to have is patience!

Thumb sucking is indeed not a problem for your kid if he or she sucks it before meal. This habit is quite natural and there is nothing abnormal in the same. Thumb sucking occurs because the baby’s desire to suck is not fulfilled. If the baby is fed the milk through a bottle and if he or she finishes it very soon then the desire to suck is unfulfilled and hence they develop the habit of thumb sucking. Parents can attempt to slow down the pace of bottle-feeding so that the baby takes around twenty minutes.

Apart from this, babies who are teething tend to chew their thumb because of the itching that they experience in the gums. This again may not be a permanent habit and it only persists till the time the baby is teething. Most of the children outgrow thumb-sucking between the age of three and six. However, sometimes thumb sucking can be an indication of lack of love. Give your child adequate caress and love to avoid this. Do not scold the child in case he or she is sucking the thumb in front of guests. This will hurt their sentiment. Tackle it carefully.