RURS' elbow guard: an innovative treatment of the thumb-sucking habit in a child with Hurler's syndrome

• Published in: Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry 2010-07, Vol.28 (3), p.212-218
• Main Authors: Shetty, R M, Dixit, U, Hegde, R, Shivprakash, P K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acrylic Resins; Child; Children & youth; Dentistry; Elbow; Equipment Design; Fingers & toes; Fingersucking - therapy; Heparan sulfate; Humans; Male; Mental retardation; Mucopolysaccharidosis I - complications; Orthopedic Fixation Devices; Pitchers (Baseball); Protective clothing; Speech therapy; Stress; Thumb
• ISSN: 0970-4388; 1998-3905
• DOI: 10.4103/0970-4388.73796

Thumb sucking is the process of sucking on the thumb for oral pleasure. Thumb and finger sucking habits, or nonnutritive sucking, are considered to be the most prevalent of oral habits. Some parents are concerned by thumb sucking and may even try to restrain the infant or child. In most cases, this is not necessary. Most children stop thumb sucking on their own. When older children continue to suck their thumbs, it could mean they are bored, anxious, or have emotional problems such as depression. This article presents a case report of a child with Hurler's syndrome along with thumb sucking/biting habit. Hurler's syndrome, also known as mucopolysaccharidosis I, is a rare condition inherited as an autosomal-recessive trait. It represents the classical prototype of mucopolysaccharide disorder. A unique appliance to prevent thumb sucking/biting was developed and termed as "RURS' elbow guard," which was successfully used to break thumb sucking of the child with Hurler syndrome. The present report also describes the steps in fabrication of this new habit-breaking appliance, which is also designed to protect the finger from the effects of the sucking habit.