Sucking on a thumb, fingers or a pacifier may help your baby to feel calm in a new place or settled enough to fall asleep peacefully. Research suggests that it’s absolutely OK to let a baby comfort himself in this way … for now.
This kind of sucking usually stops between ages 2 and 4. If not, keep in mind that a child who sucks his thumb or a pacifier intensely, often and into the preschool years may develop problems with the growth and alignment of his mouth and teeth.
See also ...
• Thumb-sucking and pacifier use
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