The short answer is “as soon as possible”. 15 to 30 months is the easiest time for the child and the parent. At this age, most children have a very short attention span and they will give up the thumb sucking habit with out too much resistance and won’t go back to it. As they get older, they grow attachments to habits easier because they are better able to compartmentalize their reasons for doing it. Understand that what I have said up until now refers only to damage that can be caused to the child’s teeth. From birth thru age 4 there are many other dangers that thumb sucking can cause. Displacement of the tongue can cause breathing restrictions and/or speech impediments, Children that thumb suck are more susceptible to colds, flu’s and many other diseases simply by putting a tainted thumb in their mouth. In short, there is no safe age to allow any child the habit of thumb sucking. Ages 4 thru 6 are the worst time for your child to be thumb sucking because the permanent teeth are arriving. And, the end result will be devastating to the alignment of those permanent teeth. After age 6, the focus evolves from an emphasis of physical problems to emotional problems. The child is now in school and quickly realizes that they are the minority when it comes to thumb sucking. They can become somewhat inward and reclusive because of the teasing from other children. They start thumb sucking only when they are alone and not being watched. They will pick spots where they can be by themselves. The parent has little knowledge of this because when the child is home they are in their sanctuary where mom and dad always pretend that it is ok to thumb suck. By this age, the child now has doubts as to weather it is ok to thumb suck. Even the parents are starting to give signs that it may no longer be ok to continue doing something that was always ok to do before. The child grows even more dependant on thumb sucking to the extent that it has now gone from a habit to an addiction. As they get older, most children actually want to stop but can’t do it by themselves. Nothing good can come from this habit and it is my advice that you stop your child’s thumb sucking habit “as soon as possible”.

          Pick a good day to start the HANDAID. If your child is in pre-school or grade school, then start the process on a Saturday morning because the first 48 hours will be the most challenging. Your child will push whatever button necessary to get you to take the HANDAID off. Your chance of success increases ten fold once you get past the first 48 hours. Check the blog at our website (www.Yourhandaid.com) for additional tips on how to start the HANDAID process. Remember, you are telling your child to stop doing something they have been doing since the beginning of time for them, something they always thought was right for them to do and, in many cases, encouraged by you. Do not be afraid to teach your child about the repercussions of continued thumb sucking. There are pictures on our website of braces, gates and other devices to help explain to your child what may happen if they refuse to stop. So, lets get started.

          The strap can be adjusted to their wrist size using the holes. Be sure that the strap is snug enough so that your child can not slide the HANDAID over their hand (if necessary, the holes in the wristband can be offset for a more exact fit). Put the HANDAID on your child. Join the thumb screws and turn them as tight as you can so that your child is unable to open them. Once you are sure of the strap size; you can cut off any excess that is left beyond the thumb screw. The HANDAID is to stay on your child’s hand for 3 full weeks (24/7); removing only for meals and baths. Then, for 1 additional week during sleep time only. HANDAID will not work if you are going to use it occasionally! Every child is different. Some children are cured of thumb-sucking in as little as 2 weeks; while others will take 3 to 5 weeks of wearing it 24/7. Use your best judgment. When you end daytime use and they gravitate back to their habit; they haven’t gotten over their dependence on it. We have found that the longer the child has been thumb-sucking, the longer it takes for them to quit. DO NOT BE FOOLED by early success. The HANDAID must stay on for the full amount of time. Just because your child is no longer complaining about the HANDAID on their hand does not mean they are cured of their habit. At age 3 or 4, thumb-sucking is a habit. That habit will become an addiction by age 6 or 7. Take a definite yet patient approach to this problem and you will be successful. My advice is that you do all of the work and let them have all of the success. Remember, your child’s next stop may be the Orthodontist who incorporates pain and discomfort into getting them to stop thumb sucking. There are pictures on our website of a device they will wire to the roof of their mouth to get them to stop.

          There are 2 HANDAIDS with your order because, in rare cases, some children may start to suck the other thumb. Also, if one of the HANDAIDS needs to be cleaned; be sure to hand wash (or delicate cycle) and air dry only. Remove the thumb screws before washing. Good luck to you and your child. Thanks again for your business and please tell another needy parent about HANDAID.