Henry has never used a dummy, and isn't a thumb sucker. He does have a tendency to chew on rocks, bits of wood, arms and legs though, so we're not without trouble in that area. If we were, however, I fail to see us embracing today's product. I can imagine that a kid sucking on a thumb all day might get annoying. Really, they just look like dills, and that reflects badly on any parent. Yet I don't know if that is enough to force me down this route. Here is the ad from 1932: Intricate, sharp bits of metal wire wound around their hands? It locks their thumb in place? For thumb sucking ?!?