The mother of a breastfed infant being seen in the clinic for the sixth month checkup is concerned that the infant has begun thumb sucking.How should the nurse respond to the mother's concern?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sucking is an infant's chief pleasure,and she may not be satisfied by bottle-feeding or breastfeeding alone.During infancy and early childhood,there is no need to restrict nonnutritive sucking.Dental damage does not appear to occur unless the use of the pacifier or finger persists after age 4 to 6 years.The nurse should explore with the mother her feelings about pacifier versus thumb.This is a normal behavior to meet nonnutritive sucking needs.No data support that Latasha has sensory deprivation.

The Mother of a Breastfed Infant Being Seen in the Clinic