Finger/Thumb Sucking…Normal?

Is finger/thumb sucking a normal part of development? It has become an accepted part of childhood; one that spurs on admiring and photo taking from the grandparents but is it beneficial for growth?

The quick answer is no. Finger/thumb sucking is not a normal part of development for several reasons. The finger or thumb in the mouth serves as an obstacle for the mouth to develop properly. The finger adds pressure against teeth which shift them away from their original alignment while the tongue is encouraged to stay at the bottom of the mouth. The longer the tongue is kept to the bottom of the mouth, the jaw develops narrow as does the palate leading to cranial structural shifts as well as further dental misalignments. Speech is impacted as well as the growth and development of the finger itself!

If this is not a normal part of development. why is it so common? There are various thoughts to why someone will have this habit including soft diets, soothing needs and previous pacifier use. The biggest root cause though that many people are not aware of goes back to the tongue. There is an area on the roof of your mouth that when stimulated by the tongue, it releases serotonin. Quick chemistry lesson: serotonin is a neurotransmitter our body releases that helps with mood regulating and gives a sense of well-being. The problem with this process is if the tongue is not trained to go up to the palate (roof of mouth), the body still wants that serotonin release which leads to other forms such as finger and thumb sucking to get the release of the well-being neurotransmitter.

In a way, finger/thumb sucking is the body saying that it wants serotonin but cannot get it the anatomical designed way. Does that mean that finger/thumb sucking should be shamed as a bad thing? Not at all. With this education and further understanding on what the body is saying within the sucking habit, steps can be taken to eliminate the habit but still get the serotonin and well-being mood lift by the tongue. With exercises to ensure the tongue can go the palate, the body can benefit from still getting the serotonin while the teeth, jaw and cranial structure can develop ideally.