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I have always frowned on the use of dummies, because my mother (who ran a nursery for 25 years) was adamant that they can hinder a child's speech development.

Our new baby is very unsettled and very collicy, and the midwife is recommending using a dummy to help settle him.

So, is there any evidence behind this claim that it hinders speech development? And if so, what is the age that it starts making a difference?

deworde
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Urbycoz
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    Our baby was collicy for the first month or so. We would do anything to calm her that seemed harmless. (No Cognac, though.) Giving that virtually every child uses a dummy, I think the small risk that it hinders development is worth taking if it calms her. It'll also help save your nerves. – Dave Clarke May 28 '12 at 15:00
  • Where is the term dummy used for a pacifier? I've never heard that term used as a reference to a pacifier. Is this used in England? –  May 28 '12 at 16:34
  • Yes, it's hard to talk when there is something in your mouth. – Robert Levy May 29 '12 at 02:52
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    @Mathew Foscarini. Yes "dummy" is the normal word in England. – Urbycoz May 29 '12 at 07:16
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    @MathewFoscarini: And Australia. – Dave Clarke May 29 '12 at 19:22
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    Dummy just means 'not the real thing', just like a crash test dummy or a ventriloquist's doll. As for your question, colic will pass, and when it does, you can begin to give your baby the dummy only during nap/sleep times. There's plenty of time until speech begins. – Ana May 30 '12 at 18:19
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    In the US we also call a pacifier a binky. – Trident D'Gao Nov 08 '12 at 07:34
  • Interestingly, when I was in theater, they advised us to put a cork in our mouths while practicing because it would IMPROVE our articulation. (And that actually worked) – Erik Dec 17 '16 at 22:12

3 Answers3

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I remembered reading that recent pediatric research in the US has said that pacifiers are OK. I looked at some recent papers and found these:

I would summarize these papers as saying pacifiers are good for infants below 6 months of age, bad for children over 3 years of age, and neutral for children aged 6 months to 3 years.

edit: I realized I didn't actually answer your specific question. I found no papers at all on the subject of pacifiers and speech development, which implies that the concern is not considered credible by current pediatricians.

Nathaniel Waisbrot
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    Simple... dummies are for sleeping only. That's the rule to follow! – Tim Galvin Dec 20 '16 at 20:51