I am a strong proponent of “drawing out the best in each child.” I realized early on that I was
having more success treating my clients’ speech disorders than some of my colleagues. We often
used the same worksheets, same programs, and similar methods of positive reinforcement, so what
was I doing differently? Once I began to supervise other therapists, I began to understand the
answer to that question. In short, there is a big difference between “drawing out the best in each
child” and “pushing in our own ideas.”
When I examined what was available to help parents and children deal with noxious oral habits such
as thumb and finger sucking, I realized that there were many scattered suggestions, but few
organized tools to help them in a positive way. The market offers interceptive methods that place
pressure on children to stop. Some methods advocate forms of punishment such as nasty tasting
substances on the fingers or nails. Others try to force the child to change by using tightly fastened
coverings on the hand or fingers, some of which are hard materials that can injure the oral tissues if
the child attempts to suck the digit while wearing them. None of these approaches were satisfactory
to me and none of them fit with my credo of “drawing out the best in each child.”
When I developed Unplugging The Thumb, I wanted to offer a positive, relationship-building
program to parents and children as well as to professionals. I wanted to eliminate the frustration
that many parents experience when trying to get a child to stop a habit. And most of all, I wanted to
give the parent what he or she needed to become a “partner” with their child. Thus, Unplugging
The Thumb was envisioned and created…..to offer an unstressful, “fun” way for parent and child to
accomplish their goal as a “team.” I offer you the opportunity to provide this simple, step-by-step,
enjoyable, yet inexpensive program to your child.
having more success treating my clients’ speech disorders than some of my colleagues. We often
used the same worksheets, same programs, and similar methods of positive reinforcement, so what
was I doing differently? Once I began to supervise other therapists, I began to understand the
answer to that question. In short, there is a big difference between “drawing out the best in each
child” and “pushing in our own ideas.”
When I examined what was available to help parents and children deal with noxious oral habits such
as thumb and finger sucking, I realized that there were many scattered suggestions, but few
organized tools to help them in a positive way. The market offers interceptive methods that place
pressure on children to stop. Some methods advocate forms of punishment such as nasty tasting
substances on the fingers or nails. Others try to force the child to change by using tightly fastened
coverings on the hand or fingers, some of which are hard materials that can injure the oral tissues if
the child attempts to suck the digit while wearing them. None of these approaches were satisfactory
to me and none of them fit with my credo of “drawing out the best in each child.”
When I developed Unplugging The Thumb, I wanted to offer a positive, relationship-building
program to parents and children as well as to professionals. I wanted to eliminate the frustration
that many parents experience when trying to get a child to stop a habit. And most of all, I wanted to
give the parent what he or she needed to become a “partner” with their child. Thus, Unplugging
The Thumb was envisioned and created…..to offer an unstressful, “fun” way for parent and child to
accomplish their goal as a “team.” I offer you the opportunity to provide this simple, step-by-step,
enjoyable, yet inexpensive program to your child.
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| By Neo-Health Services, Inc. |