[parenting-over-40]

My little angel (20 months old) is a "self soother". She just loves her thumb. She sucks while she is sleeping. During awake times she will only suck when she is stressed or uncomfortable about something.

Normally I wouldn't worry about a thumb sucker. However, I have already been to the Emergency Room once this year because she sucked it so hard there was an open wound. The doctor said I did good by catching it before it got infected. That was April of this year.

Today as we are playing I noticed I got scratched. My first thought was fingernails but then noticed how rough her thumb is now getting. There is a callous where it was open earlier this year. In addition, the top of her thumb is purple and red from sucking so hard.

She was exposed to a lot of drugs in untero. Is thumb sucking common for drug exposed babies? Any insight on how to help her? I don't necessarily want to stop the sucking but just don't want her to injure herself.

Thank you!