撰文：幼兒教育專家陳陳淑安老師
根據李維大偉 (David Levy) 博士的研究，在 10 分鐘內就把一瓶牛奶吃完的孩子（可能因為瓶頭孔較大），比在 20 分鐘內吃完整瓶奶的孩子，容易有吸吮指頭的行為。李博士又曾試驗用滴筒餵小狗，使牠們在吃奶的時候沒有機會吸吮，結果牠們的反應，是彼此吸吮自己或別的小狗的皮，有些吸吮得十分厲害，連皮都脫掉。由此我們可以知道嬰兒最初數月吸吮指頭的行為，是因為得不到吸吮的滿足所致，是一種需要，並不是與生俱來，也不是壞行為。
餵哺母乳 增進親子感情
母親能親自哺乳，嬰兒是最幸福的，因為嬰兒不但得到適當的營養，與母親肌膚接觸得到溫暖安全感，而且由於吸吮著柔軟的乳頭，除了得到溫飽外，還享受著母子心靈上的溝通，這種深厚的愛，骨肉的親情與吃著冷冰冰的奶瓶，是不能相提並論的，何況嬰兒在吸吮得到無上的滿足感。
Written by: Early Childhood Education Specialist, Teacher Chan-Chen Shu-an
According to Dr. David Levy’s research, children who finish a bottle of milk within 10 minutes (possibly because the bottle’s nipple hole is larger) are more likely to exhibit finger-sucking behavior than those who finish the entire bottle in 20 minutes. Dr. Levy also conducted an experiment feeding puppies with a dropper, preventing them from sucking while feeding. The result was that they resorted to sucking their own or other puppies’ skin, some so vigorously that the skin peeled off. From this, we can understand that the behavior of infants sucking their fingers in the first few months is due to the lack of satisfaction from sucking, it is a need, not innate, and not a bad behavior.
Breastfeeding Fosters Parent-Child Bond
When a mother can breastfeed her baby, the baby is the happiest. This is because the baby not only receives proper nutrition and warmth and security from being in contact with the mother’s skin but also enjoys the soft nipple while sucking, which provides not only sustenance but also a profound love and emotional connection between mother and child. This deep love and family bond cannot be compared to feeding from a cold bottle, especially considering the supreme satisfaction the baby gets from sucking.
但是，母親大多外出工作，加上種種原因，不得不用奶瓶餵孩子時，應特別注意餵奶的次數和所費的時間。母親應平心靜氣地讓孩子慢慢吃，特別注意奶嘴洞眼的大小，孩子得到吸吮的滿足，才不致容易發生吸吮手指的習慣，嬰兒喜歡吮手指起自無意識的，他的小指在挪動著，無意地放進嘴裡，感到愉快滿足而吸吮起來。
發洩心理緊張
可是到了4、5 歲時仍不斷吸吮指頭，那意義就不同了，這可能是一種心理緊張的發洩。例如：因父母不和，使孩子感到焦慮；因為有了一個新的弟妹，怕失去了父母親的愛；因為父母太忙，無瑕照顧他們而感到孤寂，沒有家庭的溫暖；又或者因為孩子太早被送往幼稚園，得不到適當的照顧而缺乏安全感。這些導致孩子焦慮、不安、緊張、惶恐都是心理緊張的成因。
孩子與成人一樣，心理緊張時需要發洩，這本是很自然的現象，成人為減輕心理緊張，往往用抽煙來鬆弛自己。孩子會用吮手指，或搖晃來發洩情緒緊張。在這情況下，為人父母者，除了要注意改善對孩子的態度外，應額外有耐心，應保持平和、慈祥的心態，使孩子感到放鬆沒壓力，反之父母表現擔憂、緊張甚或急於糾正而責罵，綁手指、塗苦藥等，只會弄巧反拙，增加孩子的不安，自己想改掉又不能自制，變成惡性循環，延長了吸吮手指的習慣。
However, most mothers work outside the home due to various reasons, and sometimes have to feed their children with a bottle. In such cases, special attention should be paid to the frequency and duration of feeding. Mothers should calmly allow their children to eat slowly, paying particular attention to the size of the bottle nipple hole. Only when the child is satisfied with sucking will they be less likely to develop the habit of finger-sucking. When an infant starts to enjoy sucking their fingers, it is an unconscious behavior. Their little finger moves around and unintentionally goes into their mouth, bringing them pleasure and satisfaction, leading to sucking.
Releasing Psychological Tension
However, if a child continues to suck their fingers at the age of 4 or 5, it takes on a different meaning. This may be a way of releasing psychological tension. For example, due to parental conflict, the child feels anxious; or because of a new sibling, they fear losing their parents’ love; or because the parents are too busy to care for them, they feel lonely and lack the warmth of a family; or because the child is sent to kindergarten too early and lacks a sense of security due to inadequate care. These factors can lead to anxiety, unease, tension, and fear in children, all of which are causes of psychological tension.
Like adults, children need to release psychological tension when they are anxious. This is a natural phenomenon. Adults often smoke to relax and relieve psychological tension. Children may suck their fingers or rock back and forth to release emotional tension. In this situation, parents should not only improve their attitude towards their children but also be extra patient. They should maintain a calm and gentle attitude to help the child relax and feel no pressure. On the contrary, if parents show worry, and nervousness, or are eager to correct and blame, or if they tie the child’s fingers or apply bitter medicine, it will only backfire, increase the child’s unease, and create a vicious cycle. This will prolong the habit of finger-sucking, as the child wants to quit but cannot control themselves.
預防和糾正的方法
1. 盡量用母乳餵哺，這是最自然、最適合嬰兒的哺乳方法，養成吸吮手指習慣的機會亦較少。
2. 家長用奶樽餵奶時，應特別注意餵奶的時間，能保持 15 至 20 分鐘是比較理想的。
3. 用玩具和洋娃娃等，與孩子多做手指的活動，以便轉移孩子吸吮的習慣。
4. 多接近孩子，一起玩耍、說故事和唱兒歌等，使孩子不致感到寂寞和無聊而吸吮手指。
5. 孩子吸吮得厲害時，父母仍應有耐性，保持安祥和不緊張的態度，有時不理會和不提點孩子，吸吮手指的現象反而自然地消失。
6. 如果孩子在 6 歲前已有吸吮手指習慣多年，自然會逐漸消失，尤其是當孩子白天不再吮手指，只有睡覺時才吮，這就表示已是尾聲了。父母應耐心等待，急於糾正是不生效的。特別是當孩子上幼稚園後，往往因不願在其他朋輩面前吸吮手指，又或者在學校忙於其他活動，吸吮手指的習慣會無形消失。
7. 吸吮後的手指會有難聞的氣味，如果 5 至 6 歲的孩子仍有吸吮習慣，可試試讓他嗅嗅難聞的氣味，可能因而糾正不良習慣。
Preventive and Corrective Methods
1.
Whenever possible,
breastfeed, as it is the most natural and suitable feeding method for infants,
and it reduces the chance of developing a finger-sucking habit.
2.
When using a bottle,
parents should pay special attention to the feeding time, aiming for 15 to 20
minutes, which is ideal.
3.
Engage the child in
activities with toys and dolls to redirect the finger-sucking habit.
4.
Spend more time with the
child, playing, telling stories, and singing songs together to prevent the
child from feeling lonely or bored, which can lead to finger-sucking.
5.
When a child sucks their
fingers vigorously, parents should remain patient and calm. Sometimes, ignoring
the behavior can lead to its natural disappearance.
6.
If a child has had a
finger-sucking habit for several years before the age of 6, it will naturally
diminish over time, especially if the child only sucks their fingers when
sleeping. Parents should patiently wait, as hasty correction is ineffective.
Particularly after starting kindergarten, the habit may disappear naturally due
to the child’s reluctance to suck their fingers in front of peers or being
occupied with other activities at school.
7.
Fingers sucked on will have
an unpleasant odor. If a 5 to 6-year-old child still has this habit, letting
them smell the unpleasant odor may help correct the behavior.
