Brandon was denied a pacifier as an infant
... something about confusing it with the breast. Eventually he
adopted his thumb. Well, in his case, BOTH thumbs. He prefers the
right, but will switch to the left if his right hand is otherwise
occupied. He isn't overly attentive to thumbsucking, but over a period
of months, the right thumb is showing wear and the skin is cracking.
He'll hold it up and say, "Thumb hurts."
Dawn was told that Thum (available in our
drug store right next to teething medications) is a deterrent. So she
got a bottle this week. Contents: a solution containing cayenne pepper.
This morning Brandon again told Dawn his
thumb hurts. So she dabbed a bit of Thum on it, advising him that it
was medicine and he should not put it in his mouth. Without tasting it,
Brandon asked to have a bit on his left thumb as well. Then he put the
sore thumb in his mouth, pulled it out, and with a puzzled look on his
face followed by a smile, said, "Good!" And asked for more. Dawn
obliged. Sampled again, he offered his thumb to Matt and laughing,
said, "Here, Daddy, taste!"
As a deterrent, obviously this isn't going
to work. Perhaps Thum should be used as a reward. Put it on his left
thumb. In no time at all the right thumb will be healed.
