A new poll has found that some parents have used hot sauce to stop their child from sucking their thumb.
One in 11 use deterrents like Vaseline, mittens, or even hot sauce to discourage the behavior. Dr. Susan Wolford, a pediatrician and co-director of the poll by the University of Michigan Health CS Mott, says there are other methods that parents can use.
“Parents could consider using positive reinforcement when their child is not using the pacifier or sucking their thumb, like by giving them a star for doing that,” Woolford said. “Then they may also distract their child by giving them something to do with their hands, like playing with a soft toy.”
Either way, to reduce potential long-term effects like the misalignment of teeth, some experts recommend phasing out the habits as early as six months of age.
