How to Stop Sucking Your Thumb

QUESTION: Our six-year old still sucks his thumb, in spite of our pleas to
act more mature. My mother suggests an old-fashioned solution of painting his
thumb with a bitter liquid, but this sounds terribly old-fashioned to me.
What do you think?
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ANSWER: A recent study conducted at the John Hopkins University School of
Medicine in Baltimore suggests that your mother's time-honored solution may
still be applicable in our modern day and age. Seven thumb-sucking children
who were otherwise emotionally and developmentally normal had their offending
thumb or finger coated with a bitter-tasting, commercially available solution
after waking and before bedtime. All the children quickly stopped the
offending habit, and did not resume it even when their parents ceased applying
the liquid once five continuous days of nonsucking had passed. As long as
there is no underlying emotional reason for your child's thumb sucking, your
mother's solution, while a bitter pill to swallow, is effective.
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.