A pacifier serves as a form of soothing comfort that helps toddlers cope with stressful situations or adapt to new, unfamiliar scenarios. According to child psychologist Penelope Leach, however, a toddler who becomes overly dependent on a pacifier may talk less than a child whose mouth isn't plugged. In addition, a child's reliance on a pacifier to soothe distress may hinder the communication between parent and child. At a certain point, you may need to wean your child off his pacifier.
Pacifier Problems
According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, most children will stop relying on a pacifier at some point between the ages of 2 to 4. In some cases, however, a child may want to use a pacifier for longer, which can become problematic. In addition to increasing the potential for painful inner ear infections, prolonged use of a pacifier can also lead to future dental problems, as a pacifier may prevent the upper from teeth from coming in properly. This will ultimately affect the child's bite; it can also negatively impact the growth of the jaws and bones supporting the teeth.
When to Wean
On the Parents.com website, pediatrician Tanya Remer Altmann, M.D., says the ideal age at which to wean a toddler of a pacifier is somewhere between eight and 12 months; she suggests replacing the pacifier with a small blanket or stuffed animal, which will serve as an emotional substitute. If ear infections are a concern, however, the Mayo Clinic suggests a child should be weaned off the pacifier at about six months of age.
Dimished Use
If your child has continued to use a pacifier after the age of two, the BabyCenter website suggests it may be best to try to gradually encourage its diminished use over a period of time. At first, begin limiting a child's pacifier use to certain places, such as the child's bed. Then, compound this by limiting the use of a pacifier to certain times of day, such as bedtime and naptime. Eventually, the pacifier will become less important as a means of providing comfort; you can then ultimately remove it for good.
Cold Turkey
Insisting your child stop using a pacifier immediately may seem harsh, but the cold-turkey method can also be effective. In an interview with "Time," Dr. Jennifer Shu, co-author of "Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality," notes that simply telling your child that he won't be using a pacifier any longer can be effective. "Parents are often afraid there will be a lot of crying," says Dr. Shu, "but if they're really consistent, the child will probably adapt and not even miss the pacifier after a day or two."
References
- "Time;" The Binky Fairy and Other Lies Parents Tell Kids; Julie Weingarden Dubin; July 2010
- University of Michigan Health System: Bad Habits/Annoying Behavior
- American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry: Thumb, Finger and Pacifier Habits
- BabyCenter: Toddler Sleep Concerns: Pacifiers
- BabyCenter: My Toddler's Very Dependent on His Pacifier. What Should I Do?
- Healthy Children: Pacifiers and Thumb Sucking
