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PrintParent to Parent: Pacifier Problems
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Maday Rodriguez
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Should you or shouldn't you? That's the question many parents ask when it comes to pacifiers. They can be a real lifesaver for mom and dad, but what affect does it have on your child in the long run? Seven's Lynn Martinez shows us some common Pacifier Problems in tonight's Parent to Parent.
WSVN -- They're designed to soothe and calm babies, but be careful, pacifiers can become a big problem.
Dr. Maureen O'Brien: "Anything the child is using as a tool to rely on instead of their own behavior can be a trap, but really it's about proper use, identifying the right time to wean off the pacifier."
Melissa uses a pacifier to get Nolan to sleep.
Melissa: "He really just uses it for a couple of minutes just, you know, settling down in his crib, and then, he actually spits it out afterwards."
Melissa knows if she's not careful there could be hassles ahead.
Melissa: "I've heard of some children using it really long, past a year or two."
Doctors say that's where the problems pop up.
Dr. Maureen O'Brien: "If your child is three or four and has their pacifier in their mouth 24 hours a day are they going to have a delay in speech? Sure, because they're not getting the chance to talk. There's really no data that the teeth will come in wrong or that there will be a speech problem as long as the child doesn't have it in their mouth past the age of three."
The best advice, limit your child's use and ban the "binkie" at an early age.
Melissa: "He's already using it less. I would say in the next six months he'll stop using it altogether."
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Dr. Valerie Goode
www.drvaleriegoode.com