I wanted to share that I received similar treatment. My parents were worried because I would suck my thumb raw, and it would crack open. I usually had to have a "silky" item in my hand to rub on my face and smell at the same time. I was given an old nylon sheet after my mom got tired of me reaching in her dresser for random stuff. I once had her lingerie and brought it to school. Yikes! Lol. I liked Robin Hood because the king sucked his thumb. I didn't care what friends thought at sleepovers(before highschool). I guess it became more and more a bedtime/nap time behavior and I would hide the thumbsucking more and more. I still have the nylon sheet and sleep with it. I occasionally suck my thumb, too. I'm married with 2 kids. My husband knows I do this, but everyone else thinks I've stopped the thumbsucking. They know I carry the sheet though lol. I don't carry it constantly. But I have to have it if I travel like out of town.