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avatar Anonymous

can using a pacifier for long periods of time cause you to have speech problems



Question applies to ages: 3

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avatarBrenda Nixon
# of Thumbs Up Received (7)
Top 5 in: Growth and Development, Preschool and ChildcareTop 5 in 2 Topics
It depends on the age of your tot and your definition of "long periods of time."
If an infant sucks on a pacifier - which is a healthy self-calming skill - there's no worry about potential speech problems. However, if that same child at the age of three years is still sucking everyday and overnight on it, then there can certainly be an interference with the development of articulate speech.
As a newborn, sucking is self-calming. A pacifier is only a tool to assist and soothe the baby. As the baby ages, the use of a pacifier should gradually decrease, which teaches the child to use other self-calm tools -- such as language.

References:
Brenda Nixon, M.A. www.BrendaNixon.com
Speaker and Author of The Birth to Five Book.
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