Adult thumb sucking

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Adult thumb sucking

I am an OTR working in LTC. I have a patient who is 65 years old, mentally retarded, blind, severe contractures, and has sucked her thumb until she has skin breakdown. We cannot use elbow splints because she gets very agitated without the sucking. Nursing has put on mitts and wrapped with bandages, but she continues to try to suck and will tear up the bandages with her few remaining teeth and we are afraid of her swallowing material. We have discussed using splinting material and constructing a splint to cover her thumb, but are concerned that splinting material is not meant to be in the mouth. I feel we need to find a substitute that will not harm her. Anyone with suggestions?

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Adult thumb sucking

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Nov 01, 2011
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get to the root maybe??
by: Anonymous

Everything being suggested here is a compensation and not addressing the root of WHY this person has to suck their thumb. Have you looked into reflexes, such as 'sucking' reflex or Babkin-Palmomental? Look up Masgutova NeuroSensorimotor Reflex Integration(MNRI), they have a whole program devoted to Oral Motor Reflex Integration.

May 19, 2011
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remidie
by: vikas

we should dip the thumb of the patient in Capsaicin so tat he stops sucking his thumb within few months

May 19, 2011
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BEST REMIDIE
by: vikas

pour some Capsaicin on the thumb of the patient ... it ll surely help him/her ....
he wont suck his thumb for any longer

Feb 07, 2011
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Thumb suck
by: Steve Faherty

I recall seeing orange colored rubber covers for fingers. I think they were for money counters. Tincture of Benzoine is used for holding tape on. Perhaps that or an adhesive that is safe with just enough tack could be useful.

Feb 03, 2011
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adult thumb sucking
by: Anonymous

When my daughter was small she would suck her thumb until it was raw. The pediatrician said that if I try and force her to give it up it would just make it worse and to just let her give it up on her own. In the meantime I would just bandage one thumb at a time, so she always had one available. She gave up thumb sucking by about 4 years old and had no dental problems, her teeth are beautiful. Do you bandage both hands? maybe if you just bandage one you could switch before the skin breaks down. At this point I don't think you are going to get your patient to give it up so you are going to have to work with it the best you can.

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Adult thumb sucking

Comments for Adult thumb sucking

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Adult thumb sucking