Thumb Therapy Program - Two Thumbs Up

Chapter 1 - The Pathway to Success

 Chapter 2 - What Every Parent Should Know

Parents want their children to grow up healthy and happy. Chapter 2 answers parents most frequently asked questions, regarding the dynamics of chronic thumb sucking from complications that may develop to answering, “Is my child ready to stop?”

Topics covered

What about the Pacifier

When Does Thumb Sucking Start?

When Does Thumb Sucking Stop?

Frequency + Intensity + Duration = Amount of Damage

Damage that can occur from prolonged thumb sucking:

Changes in Breathing Patterns

Is this Child Ready for the Program? 

Chapter 3 - Story: Ryan and his Friend

A Thumb Sucker’s Day

“A day in the life of a thumb sucking child.”

An engaging story about a child who sucks his thumb, the story walks the thumb sucker through a daily routine that includes the different places they might suck their thumb and feelings that accompany the pattern with the ultimate goal of stopping the pattern. 

Children like to feel they are not alone, isolated, or the only one this has happened to. These story scenarios takes the child though thumb sucking events they have lived through in one form or another  to help show them that others have gone through the same events, emotions, and feelings,

The chapter includes several original hand drawn pictures that relate to the story scenarios.

Chapter 4 - Prepare for a Thumb Program

This chapter lays a solid foundation for a successful program.  Mapping out a plan, prepping for program from goals, guidelines,  directions to supplies and motivational tools that promote a positive, constructive way to address this habit.

Topics covered

Guidelines, Directions, and Suggestions

Supplies and Motivational Tools

Thumb Kit - Thumb Box - Thumb Chart

The Sugar Habit - Effects on The Body

Tools needed in program are listed and purpose explained.

Diagram of a daily progress chart provided.   A detailed explanation of how and why to mark the thumb chart is explained.  

If your thumb sucker slips and sucks their thumb, do you know how to address the slip in a positive and constructive way to prevent them from feeling like a failure and wanting to quit the program?

Chapter 5 - Sample Step by Step Thumb Program

A detailed step by step program is addressed along with helpful motivational techniques.  Maintaining the program’s fun and positive environment is discussed. Daytime, nighttime, and school time sucking issues and procedures are outlined.  How to address the ‘Trigger.’

Topics Covered

Address the ‘Trigger’

Sample Thumb Chart 

Parental Morning Checks

Positive Environment & Discovery

A Reward System

Program Completion

Chapter 6 - The Professional Connection

This chapter was written for specialists in the fields of Medical, Dental, Speech Pathology.  The consequences of disordered breathing, dysfunctional rest postures of lips and tongue, speech dysfunctions, changes in eating and drinking patterns is examined.  A comparison between habit breaking devices for rectifying behavior as opposed to a behavior modification approach is presented.  Structural, functional, and chemical changes are discussed.

Chapter 7 - Positive Effects of Thumb Sucking

Topics Covered

Awareness - Insight - Education

Question - “What complications or trauma would cause the body to compensate and adapt by triggering a positive thumb sucking response?” 

Question - “How does thumb sucking help restore balance to the craniosacral system?”

The Need to Suck    

Research:  Durham University

 Chapter 9 - Case Studies

In my practice, I have treated individuals from age 3 to 53.  Each of these cases was chosen to demonstrate the many components and processes within a thumb therapy program. These cases help identify various complexities that pertain to medical and dental history, airway issues, psychological symptoms, and family dynamics.