Cause
It is not known why some children suck their thumb and others do not. Some continue it from infancy as a learned behaviour, and others take it up later, either spontaneously or after seeing it in a sibling or other child. Along with other rhythmic behaviours seen in childhood (head-banging, body-rocking) it is obviously soothing and pleasureable, and so continues for some time. Often it is a response to stress or insecurity, although this does not mean that there are major psychological problems present. Sometimes children who seem to have given up the habit begin it again in response to a stressful event in the family, such as the arrival of a new baby, parental arguments, separation or illness. If the child himself has been ill or hospitalised, his thumb or finger may go promptly back into the mouth.
Thumb-sucking is often associated with other habits, such as twisting the hair on the back of the head, or cuddling a favourite blanket or soft toy. Many parents recognise that when their child begins to suck his thumb, it is a sign that he is tired and a signal that it is bedtime or time for a nap. At other times it may be a sign of stress, although this may simply mean that the child has been rebuffed in a request by peers, siblings or parents. >
The thumb-sucking lasts for a few seconds to a few hours, and is terminated when the child has another activity that engages his attention. As the child grows older and matures, he usually finds other ways of coping with stress and frustration and comforting himself, so that thumb-sucking is no longer desirable. However, as previously mentioned, children may revert to it, either occasionally or for a prolonged period of time, after certain life events. Most children have grown out of the habit by the time they start school.
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