First of all, it should be determined what is the basis of the child’s finger sucking behavior and why the behavior originates. If the child starts sucking again after his newborn sibling, there is a regression here. The child may think that his parents would not love him as much as before, that his brother replaced him, and if he was loved enough, his brother would not have been born. Therefore, the child must be prepared for this situation before his brother is born. The nervous behavior in children with new siblings disappears over time.
In finger sucking behavior, treatment should be avoided in the first periods of childhood. The healthiest and most correct approach is that explaining to the child with a loving language that this behavior does not suit him / her, may harm him / her, and look very ugly from others. The child should never be criticized or humiliated beside of others at home or in the school environment. When the child does not suck his finger, he should be rewarded; when he sucks his finger, he should be ignored. Thus, the child starts not doing this behavior in order to attract attention.
Sucking fingers is not a behavior that affects compliance for child alone and does not require any special precaution. However, as a result of the precautions and punishments applied to finger sucking children to abandon these behaviors, adaptation and sensory problems may occur among children. Various methods applied for the child to quit this habit may lead to new and chronic adjustment disorders.
Not eating properly is the biggest precaution in the emergence of finger sucking problems in children. Children should be fed properly at a young age. While the child is feeding, the quality of the food and breast milk is important, as well as the diet of the child. While the child is fed with the mother’s breast or baby’s bottle of milk, it should be brought closer to the mother’s chestin a way that baby can feel the warmth. While the mother is feeding the child, she should make eye contact with the child and pour her love through her eyes. The child should not be kept loose, should not be beaten or scolded.
In some cases, the child can have a special pleasure from sucking fingers or sucking plastic nipples. However, this is never a harmful habit. Thanks to normal behaviors and relationships, the child can abandon this habit at the end of the age of 1. If the child is sucking his finger after the child starts to walk or after the age of 1, this behavior is a sign that the child is uncomfortable, unhappy, too tired, sad or troubled. In order to correct the child’s behavior, the entire situation of the child should be examined, and the measures to be taken should not only be for finger sucking, but should be aimed at improving the general condition of the child. Because the child will continue sucking fingers unless the main reasons of finger sucking are eliminated.
Within the scope of the measures to be taken, suitable play, activity and recreation opportunities should be provided to the child. The mother and father should be made aware and their inappropriate behavior towards the child should be corrected. Children should not be subjected to violence because of these behaviors, and children should not be frightened by superstitions.
The child should be given a promise that he will reward for giving up this behavior, and rewarded when the child does not suck his finger. The promise of reward will stimulate the child’s desire to abandon this behavior and will make the child abandon this behavior over time. Especially if the child is instilled in the belief that he can quit this habit if he wishes, this will make it easier for the child to abandon the habit.
If the child continues to suck fingers at the age of 4-5, it may be useful to suggest various suggestions to him. For example, the child can be told in a language that he can understand that this behavior is childish and does not look nice to the eyes of others. Especially at this age, children usually start to imitate their parents, they try to behave like a old person. Therefore, it is often effective for the parents to tell the child that they do not suck their finger because it is not a nice thing.
Sedat Dortkardes
