Time to take away the pacifier? Sucking on a pacifier or a bottle can be soothing for many babies. However, research from Patagonia, Chile, found that persistent sucking habits can increase the likelihood of speech disorders in preschoolers.
The study, published in the online journal BMC Pediatrics, looked at 128 children between the ages of three and five years old. They found that kids who stopped receiving bottles by nine months of age were less likely to develop speech disorders, while the babies who used a pacifier or sucked on their fingers for more than three years were three times more apt to develop speech difficulties.
Previous studies have found that sucking habits in early childhood may have an effect on the anatomy of the mouth, teeth and jaw. The takeaway: Altho ugh, as the researchers point out, this study is observational in nature and not conclusive, it suggests that extended sucking habits, aside from breatfeeding, may hamper the speech development of young children. According to previous research, breastfeeding, however, may actually help babies in the areas of speech and swallowing.
Source: Healthcommunities
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