Blankets, soft toys or thumbs are some of the comforters (or pacifiers, or attachment objects) that help children relax. Sucking or holding comforters helps very young children to feel safe when they are not with their parents or other family members until they are old enough to feel OK by themselves. Sucking is pleasant and calming for babies.
At what age do children use comforters?
My son got attached to a Blanket at about 4 months old. Although some children may have it later. From 8-9 months, the need for the comforter became stronger, as he was weaned off the breast milk; especially around bedtime.
If the comforter is a blanket or soft toy it is safest to take it out of the crib when the baby is asleep if the baby is under 12 months old. I have found that my son needed his “nue” the most between age 1 and 3, as this offered a form of comfort and safety when we were away from him. Most children are usually ready to give them up by 3 to 4 years of age - at least during the day (we have not gotten to that point).
Is your child's beloved bunny or blanky, the one he used to drag all over the mall, spending more time at home? As your child becomes more independent, he may turn less to her favourite comfort object. She probably won't abandon it altogether, though.
Many kids hang on to their "loveys" or “nues” for years — and return to them during stressful times or at bedtime. Other 5-year-olds remain publicly attached to their blankies whenever possible, and that's okay, too.
Comforters are not accepted in school, so if your child hasn't started kindergarten yet, give him a chance to adjust. Try initiating a rule like "Blanky can't leave the house."
Thumb and Fingers
- Sometimes children will not take any comforter but their thumbs or fingers.
- Thumbs and fingers are harder to give up than dummies or other comforters because they are there all the time.
- Try to encourage your toddler or preschool child not to talk with her thumb or fingers in her mouth.
- Past the age of 3, thumb and finger sucking may cause dental problems. If this is happening for your child, you could think about whether her life is stressful, or whether this is a habit. Also talk to a dentist about it. Telling the child to stop is not usually helpful.
- Many children go on sucking their thumbs into their teens, although this is something they tend to only do when they are concentrating on something or are tired, and is not a problem unless they are embarrassed by it.
- One comfort object it's best not to hang onto is the thumb. Most dental experts prefer children be weaned from thumb-sucking by about age 5. Much beyond that can jeopardize the alignment of permanent teeth.
Most thumb-suckers quit during the earliest school years, sometimes by day first and then later at night. But for a persistent minority, the habit is extremely hard to kick. If your child is one of them, try to create an atmosphere in which she'll want to stop on her own.
The more you nag and make a battle of it, the more stressed she becomes — and the more she turns to her thumb. The most common triggers of thumb-sucking are stress, boredom, and fatigue.
If a child still clings to the comforter by school age, it is important to ask what it is that is making the child worried, rather than to take the comforter away
Please feel free to leave a comment and share your experience.
2 comments:
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Thanks Fareed, please let me know what you're interested in learning about next.
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