A thermoplastic thumb post for the treatment of thumb-sucking.

This article was accepted fur publication September 26, 1991. Behavioral research has indicated that thumbsucking often covaries with hair pulling and that the elimination of thumb-sucking can result in the elimination of the hair pulling with which it was associated (e.g., Frlman & Hove, 1987; Knell & Moore, 1988). Treatments for persistent thumb-sucking, however, have shown minimal or transient effects (e.g., Christensen & Sanders, 1987; Lichstein & Kachmarik, 1980), are invasive (Moyers, 1969), or require constant supervision by parents (Friman & Leibowitz, 1990). The purpose of this paper is to describe a treatment device designed to eliminate thumb-sucking and associated hair pulling. This device was created by an interdisciplinary treatment team involVing a behavioral psychologist and an occupational therapist (the first two authors). This report represents a model case of how occupational therapists, with the use of adaptive devices, can direct or participate in interdisciplinary efforts to promote the emotional and behavioral health and age-appropriate development of children (American Occupational Therapy A..ssociation, 1981).