How to manage thumb sucking habits in children?

Management should be started once the childs starts to show the sign of the habits.

Preventive Treatement:

1. First, child should be feed whenever he is hungry and let him eat as much as he wants. Second, feed the child in the natural way. Third, never let the habit to start, discontinue at its inception.
2. Use of pacifier/dummy -Encourage baby to suck pacifier dummy instead of thumb.

Psychological Therapy:

1. Stop nagging, scolding or frightening the child that may bring negativism and compel him for bringing the habits.
2. B - Hyptothesis or Dunlop hypothesis: Here, he believed that if a subject can concentrate on the performance of the act at the time he practices it, he could learn to stop the act he is performing. So, in this hypothesis the child is asked to sit in front of the mirror and asked to observe himself as he indulges in the habit.

Chemical Treatement:

1. It is not so effective method. Bitter and sour chemicals is being applied over the thumb that helps to terminate the habits.
2. Chemicals such as quinine, asafetida, pepper, caster oils etc are used. Nowadays a newer anti-thumb sucking solutions like femite, thumb-up, anti-thumb etc are also being marketed.

Mechanical Therapy or Reminder Therapy:

1. Extraoral approach: Mechanical restraids are applied in the hands and digits such as splints, adhesive tapes. Thumb guard is the must effective extraoral approach.
2. Infraoral approach: The time for the placement of intraoral appliances are between the 3.5 to 4.5 years during the spring or summer. When the child health is at its peak and sucking desires can be sublimated in outdoor play and social activity.

The following appliances can be used.

a) Removable or fixed palatal crub: This helps to breaks the suction force of the digit on the anterior segment and makes the habit non pleasurable one.

b) Oral Sereen: It is a functional appliance introduced by Newell in 1912. It produces its effects by redirecting the pressure of the muscular and soft tissues curtains of lips and cheeks.

c) Hay rakes: This appliance is used in children over 3.5 years of age who have persistent thumb sucking habits. This device is known as hay rake as it was designed with a series of fence like lines that prevented sucking.

d) Blue grass appliance: It is used in the children of between 7 and 13 years of age. It is a fixed appliance, using teflon-roller together with positive reinforcement. Instructions were given them to roll the roller instead of sucking the digit. Modified blue grass appliance can also be helpful.

e) Quad helix: It is fixed appliance that is used to expand the constricted maxillary arch. The helixes of appliance helps the child to not place the thumb inside the mouth.