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Home › Articles › Dental Health › All Thumbs

All Thumbs

What Does Thumbsucking Mean for Development?

By Lisa Marie Metzler

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When her first son was born, Jodi O'Neill found it adorable to watch him suck his thumb. "We did not discourage his thumbsucking in any way," says O'Neill, a mother of two in North Royalton, Ohio. "It was nice that he could comfort himself. He was a very happy baby."

While it can be heartwarming to see your baby content with his own thumb in his mouth, should you allow the habit to continue? Dental concerns and future embarrassment are common concerns for many parents. But is thumbsucking really something to be concerned about? Or, is it a natural part of child development?

It's a Natural Thing
Babies in utero have been observed on ultrasounds sucking their thumbs. Virtually all babies at one time or another will place a digit (thumb, finger, fist or pacifier) in their mouths to suck. In fact, all healthy newborns start life and sustain it with the urge to suck.

Experts say thumbsucking is a source of pleasure and comfort for infants. This calming and relaxing feeling is associated with the production of endorphins, which also reduce feelings of pain and discomfort. Feedings alone, whether breast or bottle, usually do not satisfy the urge to suck.

"Thumbsucking is a very normal and soothing process," says Dr. Rosemary M. Jackson, a pediatrician at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. "Newborns, especially in the first four months, are very oral."

Infants use thumbs or other digits and their mouths as one of the primary ways to learn about their surroundings. Studies also have shown that sucking not associated with feeding results in increased weight gain in premature infants and decreased crying.

Not all babies will choose their thumb, as was the case with O'Neill's children. Her first son found his thumb and was happy with that. Her second son was partial to a pacifier instead. According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, digit-sucking habits are more common in boys than girls. Girls, however, prefer the thumb to other digits.

Time to Stop?

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