When Do Babies Start Sucking Their Thumb?

Believe it or not, babies begin sucking their thumbs in the womb right from the 29th week of gestation. Post-birth, babies begin sucking their thumb anytime in the first three months. Thumb sucking does help the baby. But are there any adverse effects?

Is Thumb Sucking Bad For Babies?

Sucking the thumb is mostly harmless, but it can affect the baby depends on two factors:

Intensity: The best way to determine the intensity of thumbsucking is gently pulled his hand out of the baby’s mouth. If the hands come out smoothly, then he is a thumb sucker passive. If it takes some effort to pull the hand out and if you hear a popping sound from the mouth, the baby is thumb-sucking active. Active thumb sucker thumb sucking aggressive and susceptible to negative effects.

You can buy a thumb sucking guard in order to avoid thumb-sucking habit by visiting this site at https://www.amazon.ca/Stop-Thumb-Sucking-Ages-2-7/dp/B00VQU2DZS.

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Long-term survival: The old infants received the habit, the higher the likelihood of side effects. Most babies reduce the intensity of sucking at the age of two. However, if they continue to suck their thumbs after four years, then they will have problems with their permanent teeth.

Thumb sucking primarily affects dental health, but can indirectly cause other problems too.

Effects of Thumb Sucking In Babies:

The baby can be prone to the following conditions if he sucks his thumbs regularly:

Callus formation: The thumb’s skin constantly rubs against the tongue and layers of dead skin called callus to form over the thumb. This could be painful as the thumb loses the skin, the protective layer, and is susceptible to bruises.

Paronychia: It is a condition where bacteria infect the root of the nails. Constant suction pressure on the nail may cause minor nail trauma, leaving a tiny gap between the nail and the skin.

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