Is a pacifier harmful?

Parents, especially young ones, can be radical. Online groups are heated up with discussions about how to put newborns and infants to sleep , issues related to diet and toys. Supporters and opponents of a given educational method are firmly entrenched in their positions, fiercely discussing a specific topic. One of the clearest divisions concerns... the pacifier . Give? Not to give? Both approaches have declared supporters and sworn enemies. In each specific situation, it is worth assessing all the "pros" and "cons" .

What are the advantages of using a pacifier?

First, a pacifier is better for sucking than a thumb . Babies have a great need to suck, so - not immediately, of course - they eagerly reach for everything that is within reach. The thumb is their favorite breast substitute, but - as they explain on the blog mamaistetooskop lek. dentist Marta Bik-Tavares and doctor Katarzyna Woźniak ¹ - "from a child's development perspective, this is the worst option for sucking ." This is because the thumb is hard and unshaped , so sucking it can lead to deformation of the palate, gums and teeth . A well-chosen pacifier will work better.

Secondly, a pacifier - as those parents who use it know - helps the baby calm down . It also has a soothing effect on parents who are waiting for a long-awaited moment of peace. However, the doctors quoted earlier, like other specialists, recommend that before giving a baby a pacifier, check whether it is actually an unsatisfied sucking reflex or perhaps other needs. First, we check whether the baby is fed, changed, and has no colic . If the baby still cries and cannot be calmed down, you can give him a pacifier.

Thirdly, a pacifier will work well for premature babies , who often have a disturbed sucking reflex , and a pacifier can help them learn this difficult art.

Finally - last but not least - it has been proven that sucking a pacifier reduces the risk of sudden infant death , or SIDS. The American Academy of Pediatrics writes about it ² , which recommends using a pacifier when putting the baby to sleep (but do not force it if the baby spits it out). If the pacifier falls out of your baby's mouth after he falls asleep, there is no need to put it back. Importantly, do not use a pacifier with pendants or chains - they may be dangerous.

What are the disadvantages of using a pacifier?

The fact is, however, that pacifiers also have disadvantages that opponents of their use so eagerly talk about. Using a pacifier may increase the frequency of ear infections and inflammations3 ^, and you should not give a pacifier to a toddler who already has an ear infection.

The most frequently raised arguments against pacifiers include the fact that they may disturb lactation . Therefore, if a mother is breastfeeding her baby, it is advisable to wait until lactation stabilizes . It takes from two to six weeks . After this time, you can turn on the pacifier.

Interestingly, researchers also noticed that using a pacifier may impair the ability to recognize another person's emotions , but only in boys. Scientists believe that with a pacifier in their mouths, babies cannot correctly reproduce the emotions on their parent's face and this, in turn , impairs their development of emotional intelligence. ⁴ .

It is often truly terrifying to see two- and three-year-old children with pacifiers in their mouths. And rightly so, because in such "older children", sucking a pacifier can lead to malocclusions, including an open bite, narrowing of the jaw and deepening of the overbite . Dentists also indicate that using a pacifier may contribute to the formation of tooth decay ⁵ .

It is also worth paying attention to the fact that long-term use of a pacifier may lead to speech defects that will develop in the future. ^6.7 .

Pacifier – how to use it safely?

All experts emphasize that a pacifier can bring the most benefits if it is used in the first six months of a child's life. And the longer it is used, the more damage it can cause to the child.

In other words: yes, a pacifier, but – in moderation. The basic rules are: not giving a pacifier during the first weeks of the baby's life , not giving it "forcibly" - only in situations when it is really needed, and discontinuing it around the child's first birthday. Longer use may cause serious consequences .

Ok, but which pacifier should you choose ? The choice is huge, and companies compete with each other to ensure that their product is the best. There are a few things worth paying attention to. It is important that the pacifier is certified by the Polish Orthodontic Society and is the appropriate size . Pacifiers are available for children 1-6 and 6-18 months. It is also important that the part of the pacifier that adheres to the mouth has holes , and that this part itself is large enough so that the entire pacifier does not fit in the mouth.

The most popular are silicone and latex pacifiers . The former are harder, but at the same time better stimulate the oral muscles. It is worth trying several pacifiers to find the one that suits your baby best. But remember, don't force it - there are also babies who don't accept pacifiers at all.

Bibliography:

1. “Is a pacifier harmful?”, May 12, 2019, mamaistetoskop.pl
2. Sumi Sexton, Ruby Natale, “Risks and Benefits of Pacifiers,” Am Fam Physician. 2009;79(8):681-685.
3. Peixoto JS, França CC, Barge S, Branco M. What role for the pacifier in acute otitis media risk? REVNEC [Internet]. 2020Mar.24 [cited 2022Sep.2];29(1):17-22.
4. Niedenthal, Paula & Augustinova, Maria & Rychlowska, Magdalena & Zinner, Leah & Knafo-Noam, Ariel & Brauer, Markus. (2012). Negative Relations Between Pacifier Use and Emotional Competence. Basic and Applied Social Psychology. 345. 387-394. 10.1080/01973533.2012.712019.
5. Haidar, Aseel & Al-Dahan, Zainab. (2017). Pacifier Sucking Habit and its Relation to Dental Caries and Type of Feeding Habits among Group of Children (Comparative Study). IJSR. 6. 1908-10. 10.21275/ART20173681.
6. VanNorman, R. (2001). Why we can't afford to ignore prolonged digit sucking. Contemporary Pediatrics, 18, 61–81.
7. Boshart, B. A. (2001). The pacifier: Making the decision. Temecula, CA: Speech Dynamics.