Today, it’s common to see children using pacifiers, and many even find it very cute. However, should it be a regular part of a child’s life, and is it really necessary? Does it have any unwanted effects on speech development? When is the right time for a child to stop using it?
From birth, a newborn has a developed sucking reflex, which is essential for satisfying a basic physiological need—feeding. Parents often reach for the pacifier early on, sometimes due to stopping breastfeeding because of a lack of milk or even absence of lactation. When breastfeeding is not possible, using a pacifier for feeding becomes inevitable.
Experts advise that feeding pacifiers, sleeping pacifiers, and those used during the day should be used in moderation and only when necessary. The weaning off feeding pacifiers should begin when the child starts to eat solid foods. If the child is not breastfed for the above reasons, the pacifier should be gradually phased out when transitioning to solid food. During the oral stage of development, pacifier use is linked to satisfying the need for food and strengthening the emotional bond between mother and child achieved through breastfeeding. Therefore, a pacifier or soother is used when the child is upset. Since the child has a spontaneous sucking reflex, the pacifier calms the child by reminding them of breastfeeding. In this way, the child solves problems and emotional crises. There is nothing wrong with using a pacifier, but it is important to give it up as soon as possible for proper speech development. Psychologists believe it is necessary to try calming the child through presence, talking, and hugging—not only by giving them an object like a pacifier.
What do speech therapists say about pacifiers?
Every speech therapist will say that pacifiers and speech cannot coexist well. It is believed that pacifiers should be discontinued by the first year of life because they inhibit cooing, laughing, and to a greater extent, speech. Also, weaning before the first birthday is much easier and faster than doing so later because the child becomes increasingly attached to the pacifier, making the process more difficult. Besides hindering proper speech development, pacifiers can also cause delayed speech. When a child carries a pacifier in their mouth all day while exploring the world, the possibility of activating the speech organs is reduced. The child cannot practice moving the tongue in all directions, which is necessary for speech motor skills. Additionally, pacifier use can cause jaw and dental deformities if not stopped in time. Therefore, it is common to see children with bite, tongue, and palate deformities leading to incorrect pronunciation of sounds that require serious speech therapy due to structural deformities.
Problems arise when parents want to gain privacy and foster the child’s independence by having them sleep alone. The right approach must be found because the child will naturally resist. Psychologists consider it very important that the “weaning off” does not happen when a new family member arrives.
It is important for parents to agree on their views about pacifier use, to understand that pacifiers have both negative and positive sides, and to make decisions that are best for their child.