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Thumb sucking: pediatricians' guidelines

P C Friman1, B D Schmitt

  • 1Department of Pediatric Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA 19104.

Clinical Pediatrics
|October 1, 1989
PubMed

Insights

Persistent thumb sucking can cause dental and psychological issues. Treatment is typically unnecessary before age four, and intervention should only occur if problems are imminent or the child requests help.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Child Psychology
  • Dentistry

Background:

  • Thumb sucking is a common childhood behavior.
  • Persistent thumb sucking can lead to dental, dermatological, orthopedic, and psychological problems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine when to treat persistent thumb sucking.
  • To provide guidance on managing thumb sucking behavior in children.

Main Methods:

  • Review of potential risks associated with persistent thumb sucking.
  • Assessment of age-related factors and the necessity of intervention.
  • Evaluation of treatment strategies when intervention is required.

Main Results:

  • Problems from thumb sucking rarely occur before age four.
  • Treatment is generally not recommended unless physical/emotional sequelae are imminent or the child seeks help.
  • Ignoring the behavior is often the primary recommendation for parents.

Conclusions:

  • Intervention for thumb sucking should be risk-based and child-centered.
  • When treatment is necessary, a phased approach including a parental attention moratorium, monitoring, incentives, and external cues is advised.

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