Bio
Shari Green, aka, The ThumbladyÃÂÃÂ tm has been a Certified Orofacial Myologist since 1998. She currently maintains a busy Orofacial Myology Practice in the Chicago area. Ms. Green began her career as a Dental Hygienst, and although retired from clinical dental hygiene, holds an active R.D.H., An Associates Degree in Clinical Dental Hygiene from Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois, Graduating Alpha Omega Dental, and a Bachelors Degree, Board of Governors from Northeastern Illinois University with an emphasis in psychology, graduating Cum Laude. Shari is a member of the prestigious Psychology Honor Society, Psi Chi, as well.
Ms. Green has written numerous professional research articles on music instrumentation and tongue posture, sleep cycles and thumbsucking, trichotillomania and thumbsucking, myofacial syndrome and orofacial myology, and lesion remediation and tongue thrust, and has lectured extensively to the IAOM on other diverse topics such as eating disorders, asepsis, marketing, fibromyalgia, and sleep cycles. She actively presents locally on the topics of tongue thrust and thumbsucking to numerous medical, dental, and speech professionals throughout her area. Ms. Green has appeared on Mom Talk Radio, Tracey Serebins Baby Experts, Fox News, NBC News, and has been seen in New York, People, Scholastic, Entrepreneur Magazine, Hygiene Town, Natural Jewish Parent, and Seventeen magazines. In addition, Ms. Green was interviewed extensively by book author, Pamela Paul, for ÃÂÃÂParenting, Inc., having been given a favorable ÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂthumbs upÃÂÃÂÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂàin an otherwise critical acclaim of parental outsourcing. She was filmed for the ABC News Show 20/20 which never aired, as well.
Ms. Green currently serves on the Board of Examiners, Board of Directors, and Education Committees of the International Association of Orofacial Myology, the governing body of professional practice for orofacial myofunctional professionals. Ms. Green was recently named the sole recipient of the Rose Van Norman Prevention Award for Excellence in Thumbsucking, an honor that Ms. Green considers her greatest lifetime achievement.This honor recognizes both her clinical achievements, and her extensive evidence based research that have led to numerous advancements in the field of thumbsucking and oral myofunctional habit remediation.
Specialties:
- Dental Hygiene
- Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics
- View Credentials
Affiliation:
- The Thumblady
Location:
- Long Grove, IL
Group Memberships
Credentials
- Internship
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Mini-Residency, Internship, and Specialty Training: Interned and trained for certification process with Marge Snow, Kalamazoo State College, Kalamazoo, Michigan, April Gelesko, St. Joseph, Michigan, William and Julie Zickefoose, San Diego, California, Roberta Pierce, Huntsville, Alabama, and Rose Marie Van Norman, Omaha, Nebraska. All are considered leaders and pioneers in the field of orofacial myology. Special Accomplishments: Mentored by Rose Van Norman, once considered the world authority on digit habit elimination. Ms. Van Norman died in 2010.
- Board Certifications
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Orofacial Myology, IAOM, 1998
- Additional Certifications of Specialty Qualifications
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- Professional Membership or Societies
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International Association of Orofacial Myology, 1996-presentPresident, International Association of Orofacial Myology, present
- Honors or Awards
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Rose Van Norman Prevention Award for Thumbsucking Research, October, 2011President, IAOM, current
- Publications
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2010 Confirmational Study: A positive-based thumb and finger sucking elimination program. IJOM, 1:(36)44-57. 2009 Concomitant trichotillomania cessation and thumb-sucking elimination: of course they're related...aren't they? IJOM, 1(35). 55-73. 1999 Case presentation: resolution of an oral lesion as a result of orofacial myofunctional therapy. IJOM, 1:(26). 53-56. 1999 The interrelationship of wind instrument technic, orthodontic treatment, and orofacial myology. IJOM, 1(25): 18-29. 2010 “Sometimes I Feel Like I Want to Stop Sucking my Thumb”. Self-published to professional myofunctional professionals.
Activity
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How can I stop my child's thumb sucking?
Plain and simple...Usually a child cannot be forced to stop sucking. Until a child is truly ready and at an appropriate age to entertain cessation, a few simple strategies may be useful to minimize...
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Why do young children suck their thumbs?
Thumb sucking starts out as a natural process, often prior to birth. Thumb and finger sucking is a way in which infants self-soothe, and a means by which nature prepares newborns to explore their w...
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At what age should children stop sucking their thumbs?
A family can best address a thumbsucking habit when the child shows readiness. Prior to signs of readiness from a child, attempts at forcing a child would lead to frustration. Some children stop in...
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Are there different kinds of trigeminal neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic pain condition related to the fifth cranial nerve, can be extremely debilitating. The three branches of the trigeminal nerve innervate the forehead/eyes, the cheek, ...
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What is swallowing re-training and when is it used?
Dr. Lee has already addressed one aspect of swallow retraining. However, I would love to elaborate more on this topic. One form of swallowing retraining, specifically involving what is known as t...
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What is a treatment for a child's thumb-sucking and trichotillomania?
Trichotillomania, or the urge to pull one's hair out, often coexists in the presence of a digit sucking habit. Current research shows that the two are often chained behaviors. Research shows that b...
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Why is licking your lips a bad idea?
Licking your lips initially may seem inconsequential. However, a persistent and irritating habit can develop rather quickly over time. Basically, when someone licks their lips and surrounding area,...
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Can biting my nails cause me to get sick often?
Nail biting, or any activity which results in the hands coming in contact with the face, has the potential to increase the likelihood of spreading illness. The microbes that cause the common col...
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Is my baby's pacifier contaminated with germs that can make her sick?
Yes... For example, let me cite two studies at least that suggest "Yes"......according to a study done in 2001 by Mattos et al, pacifiers were found to encourage both colonization and proliferation...
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How do I manage ankyloglossia on a daily basis?
In ankyloglossia, tongue mobility concerns may lead to difficulty with proper food chewing, swallowing, and gathering. Monitoring children with ankyloglossia to avoid foods they may struggle to com...
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What causes ankyloglossia?
Just the facts... Ankyloglossia is congenital in nature. The exact cause is currently unknown. Current research is exploring the exact genetic component of ankyloglossia. Prevalence is between 4-5%...
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Can ankyloglossia be prevented?
No, ankyloglossia cannot be prevented. The best prevention is to have the tongue monitored regularly by medical and dental professionals to determine if the child is at risk for any potential compe...
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When should I seek immediate help for child for thumb sucking?
It is rare that I have had actual "thumb sucking emergencies", but over the past sixteen yrs., but in fact. I actually have! A few children have been referred by their pediatrician to my program im...
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Why is my toddler so attached to his pacifier?
It is actually a simple answer. Pacifiers involve sucking.Babies are conditioned at birth to suck for survival, and are "wired" to derive a vast amount of pleasure from this act, as a result of thi...
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What is ankyloglossia?
According to Synopsis of Oral Pathology, S.N. Bhaskar, Fifth edition, page 595,Ankyloglossia: "The condition in which the ventral surface of the tongue is partially or completely attached to the or...
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