My daughter had a very strong finger sucking habit. Tried many times and various methods to break the habit but this was the only thing that worked for us.
She sucked her middle and pointer finger, so traditional “thumb” sucking appliances didn’t fit.
Motivation alone was not enough as she would fall asleep without the fingers but wake up to them in her mouth. Subconsciously she would get them there when sleeping. It’s a habit!
The nail polish was absolute torture as it wouldn’t prevent her from sucking and she would just be left with a horrible taste in her mouth. Again she would subconsciously suck them during the night or in the morning and couldn’t help herself. No will power when you’re sleeping/groggy.
This appliance actually prevents the bending of the arm so the child can’t pysically get the fingers to their mouth. It doesn’t hurt them, just restricts the motion. It’s a genius idea and really worked for us! After several weeks the habit was broken and the brace was no longer needed!
Tips
1. Many kids that have a finger sucking habit also have a sensory habit. My daughters was sucking a corner of her bunny and tapping it against her nose while she was sucking her fingers. Take away the sensory object! They are associated with one another and this will work better if you break both habits at the same time. I know it seems cruel but bunny isn’t going anywhere and once the habit stops you can give it back! You can introduce a new stuffy to soften the blow.
2. Isolate the finger sucking to nighttime. During the day keep on top of them and remind them to remove their fingers. Give them an alternative to keep their hands busy like a pop it. This way you only have to wear the brace at night. I feel like wearing this all day would be tricky especially if they suck their dominant hand as they won’t be able to bend their arm.
3. Timing has to be right. Don’t do this when you have another big change going on like a new baby or starting school/daycare. It’s too much for them. For me I also found it easier when she stopped napping during the day and I only had to break the habit at night. Remember, permanent teeth come in around 5 years old. The best time to stop would be before then. But any age is fine - the sooner the better.
4. They need to be motivated to stop and actually want to wear it. Show them videos of other kids wearing the brace. The promotional ads for the nipit worked for us. Tell them stories of their favorite characters using the nipit. Whatever works, if they’re on board this will work much better.
5. Praise their progress! The sticker chart worked well. She looked forward to waking up and immediately putting a star on her chart. Little prizes/treats along the way.
| Product Dimensions | 16.51 x 10.16 x 2.54 cm; 113.4 g |
|---|---|
| Item model number | A7 |
| Is discontinued by manufacturer | No |
| Target gender | Unisex |
| Care instructions | Hand Wash |
| Additional product features | Adjustable |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Style | Compact |
| Batteries required | No |
| Item Weight | 113 g |
