Thumb, Finger or Pacifier Sucking

All healthy newborns start life and sustain it with an urge to suck. Embryos have been observed sucking their thumbs while in the womb. Sucking is one of a baby’s inherent reflexes that is an essential ability for basic survival—if it were not present, the infant would not seek food or nourishment.

For many infants, the sucking instinct is not satisfied by feedings alone. Non-nutritive sucking, that is sucking thumbs, fingers, pacifiers and other objects, is a healthy normal behavior and offers young children a feeling of security, comfort, pleasure and relaxation during the first few years of life. This habit helps children to cope with different situations and emotions. Virtually all young children at one time or another place their fingers, fist, pacifier, thumb, or other objects in their mouth to suck. As children grow and develop, most naturally discontinue this habit.

Thumb and Finger Sucking

Thumb and finger sucking is a natural, normal behavior for infants. Most young children suck their thumbs or fingers at some time, and it is an appropriate and useful behavior that allows them to soothe and entertain themselves. Children usually turn to their thumb or finger when they are tired, stressed, upset or bored. And it is not unusual for a thumb or finger sucker to simultaneously engage in other self-comforting behaviors like pulling at a strand of hair, touching the ear, or holding on to a favorite blanket or toy. Even when the habit lingers past infancy, thumb or finger sucking is rarely something to be concerned about. The majority of children give up such habits on their own by age 2. If children do not stop on their own, the habit should be discouraged after age 4.

Pacifiers

Some children prefer sucking a pacifier to a thumb or finger. Pacifier use elicits strong responses from parents and caregivers. Some oppose it because of the way it looks. Some feel that it’s “pacifying” a child with an object. And others believe that using the pacifier can harm the child. But pacifiers do not cause any medical or psychological problems, and like thumb or finger sucking, using a pacifier during the early years of development generally does not permanently alter the position of the teeth or jaw. If a child wants to suck beyond what nursing or bottle-feeding provides, a pacifier will satisfy that need.

Tips for Safe Use of Pacifiers

• Pacifiers should not be used to replace or delay meals; they should only be offered after meals or between feedings. It may be tempting to offer a pacifier to a child when it’s easy for you. However, it is best to let the child decide whether and when to use it.
• Pacifiers should be of one-piece construction made with a firm nontoxic material that can be sterilized. They should have a soft nipple, air holes for ventilation, and have a shield that is wider than the child’s mouth.
• Never tie a pacifier to a child’s crib, or hang pacifiers around their neck or hands. This is very dangerous and could cause strangulation.
• Never dip a pacifier into honey or anything sweet before giving to a child.
• Never put a pacifier in your mouth first before giving to a child.
• Do not let children share each other’s pacifiers.
• Frequently check the pacifier, especially the nipple end, to make sure it has not become brittle and to see whether the rubber has changed color or is torn; discard if the nipple has become sticky, swollen, or cracked
• Never substitute a bottle nipple for a pacifier.
• Pacifiers have a tendency to fall on the ground and children’s hands are often dirty, so make sure to wash pacifiers and children’s hands often with mild soap and rinse with water to limit exposure to germs.

Thumb or Finger Sucking Versus a Pacifier

There are definitely conflicting views on this. Some feel that the pacifier may cause more dental problems, is more unsanitary, and may hinder successful breastfeeding, while others feel that breaking the pacifier habit is easier than with the thumb or finger because a pacifier can be taken away. Studies have shown that children who suck their thumbs or fingers generally have a greater difficulty breaking their habit then do children who use pacifiers.