{"id":24468,"date":"2019-08-10T14:07:10","date_gmt":"2019-08-10T14:07:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/?page_id=24468"},"modified":"2020-02-15T10:00:29","modified_gmt":"2020-02-15T10:00:29","slug":"dummies-digits","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/healthy-tips-for-happy-teeth-and-oral-health\/dummies-digits\/","title":{"rendered":"Dummies &#038; Digits"},"content":{"rendered":"<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><center>Dummies &amp; Digits<\/center><\/h1><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummy-thumb-sucking-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Image showing a child sucking their thumb and a baby using a dummy\" class=\"wp-image-25419\" srcset=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummy-thumb-sucking-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummy-thumb-sucking-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummy-thumb-sucking-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummy-thumb-sucking-50x50.jpg 50w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummy-thumb-sucking.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><center>The Pros and Cons of Sucking \u2018Something\u2019!<\/center><\/strong><\/h2><p>Finger, thumb or\ndummy sucking is a common childhood habit. Sucking is a natural reflex for a\nbaby, which can often be seen in the womb during development sucking their\nthumb. Some babies will suck a finger or thumb, a dummy\/pacifier or some other\nobject. It gives your baby comfort and, as they grow, it may help them feel\nsecure and happy. It can also sooth, with many babies and toddlers using it as\na coping mechanism when anxious or separated from their parents. Often they\nwill suck when they are tired, when the habit helps them go to sleep.<\/p><p>Most children grow out of the habit between two and four years of age. Whatever they suck may be useful in settling young babies and encouraging strong sucking patterns, but their specific usefulness declines after a developmental age of about six months. A child using a dummy, regularly, beyond the age of 12 months could be more likely to struggle to develop speech sounds made with the front of the mouth including p, b, t , d, s.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><center>Sucking!<\/center><\/strong><\/h3><p>To develop speech,\nbabies and young children need to explore a range of mouth movements e.g.\nopening and closing the mouth, smiling, sticking their tongue out.\nDummies\/digits can limit these movements.<\/p><p>Children need to learn to control saliva by closing the mouth and swallowing. Overuse of digit\/dummies\/bottle sucking stops this, and can lead to drooling and saliva problems. This can also cause soreness around the mouth.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><center>Thumb\/finger sucking or dummy\/pacifier?<\/center><\/strong><\/h3><p>Studies of thumb\nsuckers show they have a greater problem in breaking their habit than dummy\n(pacifier) suckers.<\/p><p>Prolonged\nthumb\/finger\/dummy sucking may increase risk of ear infections, dental problems\nand limits \u2018baby talk\u2019 (important for speech and language development) \u2013 all\ngood reasons to quit after about one year of age, especially during the day and\nwhen they are interacting with other children and adults.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAby-tooth-eruption.jpg\" alt=\"Baby tooth eruption\" class=\"wp-image-40666\" srcset=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAby-tooth-eruption.jpg 960w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAby-tooth-eruption-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAby-tooth-eruption-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/BAby-tooth-eruption-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure><p>How prolonged\nthumb\/finger sucking and bottle\/dummy\/pacifier use may impact your child \u2013<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Children learn words by listening and copying others. A dummy etc prevents children copying words and sounds correctly.<\/li><li>Many speech sounds are made at the front of the mouth (p, b, t , d, s) Extended digit\/dummy users will struggle to develop these sounds and may need speech therapy.<\/li><li>The more a child talks with a dummy\/digit in the mouth the higher the risk of needing long term speech therapy.<\/li><li>A child is much less likely to talk if they have an object in their mouth.<\/li><\/ul><p>We recommend visiting speech and language therapist Joanne Jones on Facebook &#8211; <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Easy Everyday Speech Therapy (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/easyeverydayspeechtherapy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Easy Everyday Speech Therapy<\/a> and her Facebook group &#8211; <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Parenting children with Speech, Language and\/or Communication difficulties (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/speechlanguageandcommunicationdifficulties\" target=\"_blank\">Parenting children with Speech, Language and\/or Communication difficulties<\/a> along with <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Ditch the Dummy \u2013 a five day challenge (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/ditchthedummy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ditch the Dummy \u2013 a five day challenge<\/a>. Joanne supports parents of children with speech, language and communication difficulties and supports parents to help their children ditch their dummy.<\/p><p>According to the British Society of Orthodontics (BOS, the specialty of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention and correction of teeth and jaws that are in the wrong position), it is normal for an infant up to the age of 2 to want to suck. One in every eight children (aged 7-11) have a prolonged digit (finger\/thumb) sucking habit, with girls more likely to be prolonged digit suckers than boys. While a dummy\/pacifier can cause teeth to move, they appear to cause fewer problems, as this habit normally stops before the adult teeth appear around age 6. When children continue the habit as adult teeth erupt, problems with the position of the teeth may occur. The BOS have a patient leaflet on dummy and thumb sucking can be found&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/view.publitas.com\/british-orthodontic-society\/digitsmarch2019\/page\/1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"here (opens in a new tab)\">here<\/a>.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><center>When is the best time to discourage and stop?<\/center><\/strong><\/h3><p>You know your child\nbest and will be the best person to help them stop when the time is right. Aim\nto stop thumb sucking and dummy\/pacifier use by 12 months, but certainly by 3\nyears.<\/p><p>A child who sucks\ntheir thumb with great intensity once they reach preschool age may develop\nspeech or orthodontic problems. The front teeth may stick out, and the child\u2019s\nbite will be open, not allowing the upper and lower front teeth to touch. The\nskeletal changes can begin to affect the alignment of the permanent teeth.\nRemember, the longer the habit lasts, the harder it can be to stop. The sooner\nthe habit stops the less impact it will have.<\/p><p>It\u2019s important not\nto use guilt and shaming of your child when you talk about stopping the dummy,\nafter all it\u2019s not their fault that they enjoy and get comfort from this habit.\nTry swapping the dummy for something like a teddy or blanket. You could\nintroduce this before removing the dummy to create an alternative attachment.<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Never dip a dummy in anything sweet to encourage your child to accept it \u2013 this is a recipe for      disaster as far as teeth are concerned, as sugar is in direct contact with the teeth for a prolonged time.<\/li><li>Do not \u2018clean\u2019 a dummy by putting it in your own mouth \u2013 this can transfer bacteria which would not normally be in your child\u2019s mouth.<\/li><li>If you want to allow your child a dummy after the age of one, consider a thin necked pacifier which may reduce the likelihood of dental disturbances.<\/li><li>Try to minimise dummy use to when it is really needed, rather than providing it out of habit. It should make your life easier in the long run.<\/li><\/ul><p>The first dental check up (recommended by baby\u2019s first birthday) is an opportunity to ask about dummy\/digit sucking and get advice on your baby\u2019s growing smile. Your child\u2019s dentist can assess the changes to normal tooth development and offer advice on stopping the habit and preventing oral health problems. Your dentist can offer encouragement to your child and explain what could happen to their teeth if they do not stop sucking.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><center>How to help your child stop sucking their thumb\/fingers?<\/center><\/strong><\/h3><p>The habit will\nnormally cease without any concern or effort. Often, the best strategy is\nsimply to ignore the behaviour. Children will figure out on their own when this\nis not acceptable from social situations and peer pressure. If the habit\npersists beyond preschool, however, it may be time to intervene.<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Offer a dummy\/pacifier to infants; dummies are easier to take away.<\/li><li>Establish a chart and reward system to track your child\u2019s progress for quitting.<\/li><li>Encourage and praise your child when they attempt to stop.<\/li><li>Children often suck their thumbs when feeling insecure or needing comfort. Focus on correcting the cause of the anxiety and provide comfort to your child.<\/li><li>For an older child, involve him or her in choosing the method of stopping.<\/li><\/ul><p>Some children may experience difficulty stopping their sucking habit. In these instances, it may be necessary to purchase products that can be placed on the thumb or fingers in order to discourage the habit.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"284\" height=\"378\" src=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/thumbsies.jpg\" alt=\"image showing a little girl wearing a thumbsies\" class=\"wp-image-16570\"\/><\/figure><\/div><p>A physical barrier can help to break the habit of digit sucking.&nbsp;<strong>Thumbsie\u00ae<\/strong>&nbsp;are fabric thumb and finger guards designed to help children stop sucking in a fun and positive way. The Thumbsie fit over the thumb or fingers and are secured with Velcro around the wrist. They are suitable for children 3-14 years who want to stop sucking but need some help! Made from 100% cotton, they are available in a variety of colourful fabrics and five different sizes. For more information and to buy visit&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/thumbsie.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/thumbsie.co.uk\/<\/a>. Use code GROWINGSMILES at checkout to receive a discount on your order.<\/p><p>Whatever method you choose to discourage the behaviour, always use positive reinforcement to encourage your child. Criticism or nagging may cause more anxiety and prolong the problem.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><center>Going, going? Gone! A fond farewell to the dummy?<\/center><\/strong><\/h3><p>Why not give it a new home and relocate your dummy (s) to the Growing Smiles Dummy Tree. For more information visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/the-dummy-tree-is-the-place-to-be\/\">https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/the-dummy-tree-is-the-place-to-be\/<\/a><\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"207\" height=\"303\" src=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/dummytree.png\" alt=\"The Growing Smiles Dummy Tree Image\" class=\"wp-image-16571\"\/><\/figure><\/div><p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/healthy-tips-for-happy-teeth-and-oral-health\/\">Back to Healthy Tips for Happy Teeth and Oral Health<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dummies &amp; Digits The Pros and Cons of Sucking \u2018Something\u2019! Finger, thumb or dummy sucking is a common childhood habit. Sucking is a natural reflex for a baby, which can often be seen in the womb during development sucking their thumb. Some babies will suck a finger or thumb, a dummy\/pacifier or some other object. &#8230; <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Dummies &#038; Digits\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/growingsmiles.co.uk\/healthy-tips-for-happy-teeth-and-oral-health\/dummies-digits\/#more-24468\" aria-label=\"Read more about Dummies &#038; Digits\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76,"featured_media":0,"parent":24174,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-24468","page","type-page","status-publish"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.5 (Yoast SEO v24.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Dummies &amp; Digits | Thumb Sucking v Dummy\/Pacifer | Growing Smiles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Thumb or finger sucking v dummy\/pacifier use? Is one better? 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