[zoeypauline]

My friend's child is seven and I've been staying at their house for the past couple of weeks and I have noticed that he sucks his thumb almost all of the day.
At the dinner table, watching TV, just walking around the house.
The only time I see him not sucking his thumb is when he's doing something active; playing with friends, in the pool, etc.
At first I thought it was just a little strange until I researched how old most kids quit sucking their thumbs. My result was around one, and that most parents should incourage their children to stop by four if they haven't already quit. Prolonged thumb sucking can cause major dental problems!
Now I'd like to bring this up with her, but I am scared I might offend her, for I am much younger and have no children, I.E. I'm not very experienced with children. What would be a good approach on bringing this up with her?

[Eileen G]

Don't bring it up at all. I can guarantee that your friends have done a lot more reading and research than you have, and are very well aware that their child is old to be thumb sucking.

Do you think their dentist and doctor wouldn't have mentioned it if they saw a problem?

You don't know the background. Their child may have some other sort of problem, which is related to the thumb sucking. If your friends don't mention it and ask you for advice, don't offer it.

[Fr_Chuck]

Yes, they know the child is doing it

[Jake2008]

You are a guest in their home and you want to 'educate' them about the harm they are doing by allowing their son to suck his thumb? Good for you for doing the research, maybe some day you can use it- for your own child.

It is ironic that you see nothing wrong with 'addressing this problem', when you should be asking whether you should cross that boundary between the parents and their child over something that has nothing whatsoever to do with you.

I think that she would be more offended by your lack of manners, rather than you bringing up a subject she is most likley well aware of.

Please mind your own business here. Unless she specifically brings it up in conversation as a problem she's having with her son, say nothing.

[betty12345678]

Hi there,

I had the same experience with my son. All he loves to do is suck his thumb. I've tried all these different thing but he just switches to this other thumb.

I then just thought I would give up; I figured he isn't hurting anyone and that was his security blanked. Then I asked his doctor about it and he told me all the bad things that can happen as far as his teeth are concerned & its stops your chin development!

He told me to look at adults with no chin form and that most likely means they sucked the them...

So I searched the internet and found these pair of gloves... he loved wearing them & after a couple of months he has stopped sucking his thumb!

The funny part is we just bought him another pair because he loves wearing them... he calls himself Sonic the Hedgehog... lol

Here is the site in case anyone else is looking

http://endthumbsucking.com/
Stop Thumb Sucking