One of the most common questions I get as an Early Intervention Speech Pathologist is about pacifier use. Pacifiers certainly have their use for our babes. Not just to help soothe those fussy babies! It has been linked with decreased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) and can help babies learn to self soothe. Some studies have shown pacifiers can be helpful for babies who may have trouble sucking or have an underdeveloped sucking reflex. Sucking is a reflex for newborn babies. Newborn reflexes do disappear as babies grow. We should see our babies decrease their need for sucking. They grow and take the bottle or breast less frequently. They begin to eat purees and transition to cup drinking(which I will have more information on).
There is much debate when your baby should no longer have the pacifier. In my experience, “cold turkey” may be more trouble than it’s worth. If it can be slowly decreased, it will be easier(for everyone!) when it suddenly “disappears”. Once your baby begins to show joint attention and imitation, he/she should begin to have it less often during the day. They can begin to explore how their mouths move and all the sounds they can make using toys, teethers, and even foods as they begin venturing through the feeding stages. As they get older, their awareness and memory begin to grow as well. Strategies to decrease pacifier use when they are in toddler stages will be more difficult because of this. In addition, the longer they use the pacifier, the structure of their mouth will begin to be affected and dentition shape will impact speech production.
If you have found yourself with a toddler attached to their pacifier, there are a few things to try to replace the soothing comfort it has provided them. Some children do truly have an oral sensory need for more input to help them feel regulated. Currently, Occupational Therapists(OT) and Speech Language Pathologists(SLP) are recommending use of straw cups over sippy cups. There are many reasons for this shift. One of them being the input your child receives with sucking liquids through a straw. If your child seeks oral input, a straw to drink form is a great alternative and provides regulation to the sensory system. In addition, there are many tools that can be a good substitute throughout the day when they are looking for something to chew on or put in their mouth. When they are teething, these tools can serve double duty! Some of these can also be used to assist with feeding difficulties. It is important to always seek the assistance of a professional pediatric OT or SLP in this case. Contact your pediatrician to inquire about your local Early Intervention program. This is a process. It may happen more slowly than you would like, but it CAN happen with a plan. Please see link below for more information if you would like to explore some alternatives to decrease pacifier use.
https://www.arktherapeutic.com/oral-motor/?aff=59
