Chances are, the majority of us will have sucked our thumbs as children or may even have children who do the same now.
To understand more about why children suck their thumbs and how the curious habit develops, The Focus spoke with Silja Litvin, a psychologist and founder of the mental health platform PsycApps, who details several key reasons.
Psychologist explains the reasons why children suck their thumbs
The act of thumb sucking is an entirely normal one and stems from a natural rooting and sucking reflex in babies, sometimes even before birth according to Mayo Clinic.
Silja Litvin, who is also the co-creator of the award-winning emotional fitness game, eQuoo, told The Focus that thumb sucking occurs for several different reasons.
These include oral fixation as the act can “involve oral stimulation, providing sensory gratification through the mouth,” she explained.
The habit is also used as a coping mechanism “to alleviate stress, anxiety, or boredom.”
Engaging in the act of thumb sucking can also trigger the brain’s reward pathways, “reinforcing the habit through the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine,” said Litvin.
As a result, this can lead to a strong habit formation as the act of sucking their thumb is “reinforced by the brain’s reward system and synaptic plasticity,” which can make the habit a tough one to shake as the child grows older.
How thumb sucking compares with a similar habit
During our discussion with Silja, we also asked the psychologist if the act of thumb sucking had any links to similar a habit, nail biting, which is another behavior that often develops in children.
“Thumb sucking is more prevalent in infants and toddlers as a comforting mechanism,” explains Silja. “While nail biting tends to emerge in older children and persists into adolescence and adulthood for some individuals.”
“Thumb sucking and nail biting share similarities in their oral fixation, coping mechanisms, and neurological underpinnings,” she continues. “However, they also exhibit distinct features in terms of the object of stimulation, social acceptability, potential consequences, and developmental stage of onset.”
For example, as kids get older, they often grow out of the habit of sucking their thumbs as it’s seen as less acceptable among their peers. Meanwhile, biting nails may be frowned upon for potentially causing damage to the nails, but it’s more widely accepted as children grow into teenagers and subsequently adults.
“Understanding these differences can inform strategies for addressing these habits effectively, promoting oral and nail health, and supporting children’s emotional well-being,” concludes the psychologist.
