If my child uses a pacifier, will he/she have delayed speech and language?
The short answer is, the research is unclear.
A number of studies have looked at the prolonged use of a pacifier and its effect on speech and language. Some studies do show a correlation and some do not.
Some studies have also shown that children who use a pacifier for an extended period of time are at an increased risk of dental problems and ear infections, which are known contributors to speech and language delays.
From a Speech-Language Pathologists perspective, although the research is inconclusive, my recommendation to parents would be to be cautious when encouraging prolonged use of a pacifier or thumb sucking and discontinue as soon as you can. If the child’s mouth is occupied, he/she has less opportunity for babble, imitation and ultimately practice with sounds and words. If your child uses a pacifier or enjoys sucking his/her thumb, don’t panic but start thinking of other comforting measures and ensure your child has a lot of “empty mouth talking time” (ie. no soother or thumb in his/her mouth) throughout the day to practice his/her speech and language skills.
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References:
Shotts, L., McDaniel, M., Neeley, R. (2008). The Impact of Prolonged Pacifier Use on Speech Articulation: A Preliminary Investigation. Contemporary Issues In Communication Sciences and Disorders, 35, 72-75.
Barbosa, C., Vasquez, S., Parada, M., Velez Gonzalez, J.C., Jackson, C., Yanez, N.D., Gelaye, B., & Fitzpatrick, A. (2009). The relationship of bottle feeding and other sucking behaviors with speech disorder in Patagonian preschoolers. BMC Pediatrics 9:66
http://www.asha.org/uploadedFiles/asha/publications/cicsd/2008STheImpactofProlongedPacifierUse.pdf
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 2003.
Niemelä M, Uhari M, Möttönen M. (1995). “A pacifier increases the risk of recurrent acute otitis media in children in day care centers.” Pediatrics 5 Pt 1, 884-8.
