Sunday, 15 April 2018
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Published in Dental Hygienist, Dentists, occupational therapists, Orofacial Myologist, Orthodontist, Parents, physical therapists, speech languge pathologist, Teacher, Therapists, Uncategorized
Is Unplugging The Thumb Program Enough?
Hi Sandra,
How are you? I have two clients on thumb sucking program right now. How long do you suggest they wear Sockie? I have a 13 year old who is doing great. It has been 6 days and nights with NO slip ups. And a 6 year old who has been good too but I’m more worried about him and relapse.
I have Unplugging the Thumb program, and I also have the programs for other instructors whom I studied under. These are my first ‘real’ clients going through this program. I was planning to have them wear it for 2 solid weeks but I was rereading your program this week and you stated 10 days. Is that enough? Thoughts?
Thanks so much.
Hi,
I would have some difficulty answering your questions unless you had followed only Unplugging the Thumb process rather strictly. It’s one of the only treatment methods that I have that is close to a cookbook to assure that we cover every possibly scenario. Unplugging the Thumb has details that are designed to assure success as well as information that is used in case of various roadblocks, etc.
I am sure the others’ programs are also effective, but I can’t comment without knowing all the deviations you might have made to UTT (Unplugging the Thumb).
A successful program must contain the 4 main conditions discussed in our course: awareness, chid’s ok, self-fulfilling prophesy, and positive program of reinforcement. Those conditions should be met during the introduction process. I don’t think it is wise to mix the specific treatment steps of Unplugging the Thumb with other methods that are out there. There are likely different numbers of days, different wording that is used on day one to develop the self-fulfilling prophesy and awareness, different ages that are targeted, etc.
I am definitely not trying to brush you off, but without knowing what elements might have been left out of UTT and what different elements were inserted from the others’ programs, I don’t want to give advice that might not work.
Taking into consideration what I just explained, please still feel free to get back with me if you can enlighten me enough to be able to help out. I know that as a therapist, you definitely have what it takes to have great success in eliminating sucking habits.
Sandra