My son is 4 and1/2 years old and he is still sucking his thumb. This usually happens at night although he sometimes suck it during the day. I don't think that this is as a result of hunger because sometimes immediately after a meal he sucks his thumb. Strangely, he attends kindergarden and while at school he will never suck his thumb. Is there anyone that can advise or be of some assistance because I think that I have tried every thing.

It's a comfort thing, also a habit thing. At preschool he may not just because he's too busy to think about it, he may be embarrised to do it there since chances are most of the other kids don't. I'm not sure what help i can be with tips on how to get him to stop it. But you need to keep an eye on his teeth, sucking his thumb can cause problems because the thumb will push out on the teeth. The dentist can put a thing (sorry don't know what it's called) in a childs mouth so they can't physicaly suck there thumb. He will most likely outgrow sucking his thumb, someone else who has been through this can offer better advise than i can, i think there are a lot of 4 year old still sucking there thumbs...

My daughter, who is 9, has had to have an appliance put in her mouth called a "habit reminder". It is like a retainer but it has a little grate thingy that hangs down and makes it pretty much impossible to suck their thumb. My daughter did the same thing, sucked her thumb when she was going to sleep or when she was bored, but never at school. This appliance works well, she said it really does remind her, she said she didn't even realize that she was going to suck her thumb until it hit the appliance in her mouth, she was so used to doing it, she did it unconsciously.

The appliance costs anywhere from $100-$250 and my dental insurance paid for half, they would rather pay for half of this than to have to deal with braces or facial jaw surgery later.