The results of studies on both thumbs and pacifiers this decade have had some surprising results.
It seems that both can be a hero or a monster.
The differences are in the timing.
Hero
One of any parent's worst nightmares is SIDS (Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome). There is usually no warning and the causes are not entirely
understood.
In comes the former-arch enemy of infant health -- 'The Pacifier' to the rescue. Studies
performed in this last decade show that babies use of a pacifier at
night can help reduce the chance of SIDS.
Pacifiers keep an infant from sleeping as deeply as they would without
one. And, while sleepy parents might not find this a great thing, the
lighter sleep and sucking allow the infant to be pulled from a sleep
that could become so deep that breathing stops.
Thumb or Pacifier?
Thumbs or a parent's little finger used to be considered a healthier
alternative by some groups. They had more "give" they were skin, and
there is a limit to how hard they can be sucked on.
However, they can't be sterilized as easily as pacifiers. More
importantly - reports show that it is often easier to get a toddler to
stop using a pacifier than it is to get them to stop using the
convenient and always present thumb.
Why is this important?
Monster
Being able to ween your toddler off of either option by age 2 (and at
the VERY LATEST age 4) can make a big difference to the need for future
dental treatment. And don't we ALL want less treatment and more smiles?
The studies on sucking effects showed on crossbite in the molar area
steadily increased from 5.8 percent for children who stopped the habit
by one year of age. It jumped to 13 percent among children who stopped
between two and three years old. And reached more than 20 percent for
children who continued to use a pacifier or thumb-suck after they turned
four years old.
Which Will You Pick?
So much of parenting is in balancing the special needs of each stage of
development. It is good to know that there is benefit to allowing our
infants (and ourselves) the comfort and quieting of a thumb or pacifier.
But we also need pick wisely looking ahead to that time where the sucking
benefit becomes a curse. And, choose the method we feel we can
successfully ween sooner rather than later. What will it be.. Thumb or pacifier?
Dr Karen Chu DMD
I
would love to hear what you decided for your infants and toddlers Please leave a comment and share what has worked
for your family.
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