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Prevalence of thumb sucking in children of Calcutta
S Sarkar1, K S Chowdhury, M M Mukherjee
1Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital, Calcutta, India.
Insights
This study found thumb sucking in children is more common in cities, often caused by bottle feeding. The habit is more prevalent in boys, especially as they get older.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Child Development
- Oral Habits
Background:
- Non-nutritional sucking habits, such as thumb digital sucking, are common in early childhood.
- Understanding the prevalence and etiological factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Bottle feeding is frequently implicated as a primary cause of persistent sucking behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of thumb digital sucking in children aged 3-12 years.
- To identify demographic and socio-economic factors associated with this habit.
- To determine the primary etiological factors contributing to non-nutritional sucking.
Main Methods:
- A prevalence study was conducted on 2517 children (1293 boys, 1224 girls) aged 3-12 years.
- Participants were drawn from village, suburb, and city areas of Calcutta, representing diverse socio-economic statuses.
- Data collection focused on identifying the presence of thumb digital sucking and associated feeding methods.
Main Results:
- Thumb digital sucking was predominantly observed in urban (city) populations.
- Bottle feeding was identified as the main etiological factor for the habit.
- In children aged 3-6 years, the prevalence was higher in boys than girls; this trend persisted with increasing age.
Conclusions:
- Urban environments and bottle feeding are significant factors in the prevalence of thumb digital sucking.
- The habit shows a higher prevalence and persistence in boys compared to girls, particularly in older age groups.
- Early identification and intervention strategies should consider these demographic and environmental influences.
Abstract:
The prevalence study of thumb digital sucking carried out on 3-12-year- old 2517 children, 1293 boys & 1224 girls, with different socio-economic status, belonging to villages, suburbs and city areas of Calcutta revealed that non-nutritional sucking habit was predominantly seen in cities, and bottle feeding was found to be the main cause of this habit; in 3-6-year-old children the prevalence of the habit was more in boys than girls but it persisted more in boys with increase in age.