Over-threes who use dummies 'at risk of speech problems'

Published on Tuesday 20 October 2009 22:07

CHILDREN who still use dummies after the age of three risk speech problems, research published today shows.

The study is the latest in a long line of conflicting advice for parents unsure about the merits of dummies.

Previous reports have concluded they may contribute to badly spaced teeth, but also that they appear to cut the risk of cot death among some babies.

In the latest work, scientists found children sucking their fingers, a bottle or a dummy past the age of three were three times more likely to have problems speaking.

The team also found that babies who were breast-fed until at least nine months old were less likely to develop speech defects.

The study was carried out by asking parents to fill in questionnaires about their children, whose speech was evaluated and their mouths examined.

Clarita Barbosa, of the University of Washington in the US, led the project, which studied the behaviour of 128 pre-school children aged three to five in Patagonia.

She said: "These results suggest extended use of sucking outside of breast-feeding may have detrimental effects on speech development in young children."

But she said further study with a larger group was necessary. Ms Barbosa added: "Although results of this study provide further evidence for the benefits of longer duration of breast-feeding of infants, they should be interpreted with caution, as these data are observational."

The debate over dummy use has long troubled parents. Some babies find great comfort in using a pacifier, particularly when they are troubled with colic. Foetuses have been observed sucking their thumb in the womb.

However, dental experts have warned that extended use of a dummy or thumb-sucking can deform teeth.

Others have suggested that use of a dummy during waking hours prevents the child from joining in the chatter of everyday conversation.

Rosie Dodds, a senior public policy officer at the National Childbirth Trust, said: "It's unusual for children to have dummies or bottles for this long in the UK.

"It's generally recommended that children who are bottle-feeding change to drinking from a cup at about 12 months and stop using a dummy after about six months. Similarly, for women who breast-feed, it's generally recommended they don't give a dummy in the first month or so, until breast-feeding is well established."

The latest research is published in the healthcare journal BMC Paediatrics.