The Pacifier: Should We Use It?
Most parents do not realize how big of a decision it is for their child to use a pacifier. Pacifiers impact not only their child’s speech and language development, but additional areas of development as well. The pacifier is a great tool to use in a variety of situations; however, it is always possible to have too much of a good thing. Here is a quick side by side comparison of the positive and negative effects of using a pacifier. This chart is a quick reference for parents when determining what is best for their infant. Please remember if you choose to have your child use a pacifier, you should begin weaning at age 6 months. The pacifier, as well as the bottle should both be eliminated at 12 months to limit long term negative impacts on speech/language development.
