Barbara Bechtold-Dingemans

Hetty's thumb sucking habit Barbara Bechtold-Dingemans

Hetty sucks her thumb all day long. There is not a lot that she enjoys as much! Her thumb doesn't agree. He doesn't like to be stuck in Hetty's mouth. Like the tongue and the teeth, he would like Hetty to give up her them sucking habit. I this book you will get a look into Hetty's mouth. You will see what happens to the thumb, the teeth, and the tongue and you see what happens when she finally stops sucking her thumb. Through my work as a speech therapist, I meet a lot of children who, as a result of thumb sucking (or using a pacifier) have misaligned teeth or an incorrect way of swallowing or speaking(lisping). Thumb sucking and using a pacifier are referred to as 'dysfunctional orofacial habits'. To solve this problem the Oro- Myofunctional therapy (OMFT) has been developed and is used by speech therapists, in cooperation with dentists and orthodontists, to teach children how to eliminate these dysfunctional orofacial habits. With therapy, the misalignment of the teeth can often be reduced or even eliminated. This book shows parents and children, in a clear but playful way, what happens when your child sucks their thumb. You also see what happens afterwards when your child stops sucking their thumb and what happens to the thumb, teeth and tongue. This book hasn't been made to shame your child for thumb-sucking, but to show why it would be better to give it up.