Prolonged Use Pacifiers, Bottles and Thumb Sucking
Parents and caregivers want to do what's best for their children. Many find themselves wondering if letting their child use a pacifier, suck their thumb, or drink from a bottle for a long time will affect their speech development. This is a topic that gets a lot of attention with strong opinions in both directions. This post will be based on facts and not opinion as we look at what research actually says about pacifier use and speech development, whether prolonged bottle use can impact how a child learns to articulate sounds and speak clearly, as well as thumb sucking and speech delay.
What is Considered Prolonged Use
Babies are born with a sucking reflex. They rely on it to feed and grow from the moment they are born. Sucking releases feel-good endorphins, so many babies and toddlers use it to self-soothe. Some babies will use a pacifier, and some will suck their thumb. This is all typical of babies; however, at what age should they stop?
Most pediatric professionals would consider ages beyond two and three as prolonged or extended use of pacifiers, bottles, and thumb sucking.
Pacifier Use and Speech Development
Pacifiers serve a purpose to soothe infants and provide comfort. However, once the child is no longer a baby, prolonged pacifier use negatively affects how speech skills develop.
A frequently noted study on this topic looked at 128 preschoolers and found the following noteworthy associations:
- Children who used pacifiers for three years or more were about three times more likely to develop speech disorders compared to their peers who didn't suck a pacifier for that long.
- Kids who sucked their fingers were three times as likely to have speech issues.
- Children who were breastfed, not bottle-fed, until after 9 months old appeared to have fewer speech problems.
While the study does not prove that pacifiers cause speech problems, there is a link between prolonged non-nutritive sucking and speech development. There is no simple yes or no answer to the question, “Do pacifiers delay speech development?” However, the research shows that there is an association between the two, especially when a pacifier is used for a prolonged period of time.
How Can Pacifiers Physically Influence Speech?
Babbling and experimenting with sounds are important elements of early language development. A child who has a pacifier in their mouth is less likely to have this experience as frequently as one who does not.
Extended pacifier use can also subtly affect the shape of the child's palate (roof of their mouth) and the alignment of their teeth. These oral differences can make certain speech sounds harder to produce.
There is also research that suggests that prolonged sucking habits are linked to frequent ear infections. If a child is not hearing speech sounds clearly, they will have more problems reproducing/articulating them.
Thumb Sucking and Speech Delay
Thumb sucking is much harder for parents to control than pacifier use. Regardless of how unhappy a child may be to have their pacifier taken away, the thumb is always going to be there. Similar to pacifier use, long-term thumb sucking can lead to speech issues.
Can thumbsucking cause speech delay?
Thumb sucking can:
- Change the position of the teeth and jaw
- Influence tongue placement
- Affect how the mouth opens and closes, which is a key part of forming certain speech sounds
Speech clarity depends on coordination between the tongue, lips, and jaw. The muscles used for clear speech should evolve naturally, but prolonged thumb sucking can negatively interfere with that progression. Our blog titled The Relationship Between Oral Motor Skills and Speech Clarity does a great job at explaining how oral muscles can affect clarity and how to improve them.
Can Prolonged Bottle Use Cause Speech Delay?
Many parents think of getting rid of bottles as a milestone. They are useful for babies but not needed as much in toddlerhood when the child can learn to drink from other types of cups. But can extended bottle use actually delay speech?
Research around this topic is not as precise. The concern is less about speech in isolation but about the child's oral motor muscles and how they coordinate to correctly produce speech sounds.
Bottle nipples require different mouth and tongue movements than those used in speech. A child with prolonged bottle use may not be practicing the oral movements that help support clear speech and articulation.
As with prolonged pacifier use and thumb sucking, extended bottle feeding can also cause oral differences like misaligned teeth. These differences can cause difficulties in producing certain speech sounds.
To summarize, prolonged bottle use does not directly cause a speech delay; however, the secondary effects of it can certainly influence speech development patterns.
What The Experts Recommend
- Limit Pacifier Use After 1 - The first year of life is pretty forgiving, and many doctors even recommend using a pacifier for comfort early on if needed. However, after 12 months, it is recommended that you limit the pacifier to sleep times only. Furthermore, by 2-3 years of age, ideally, it should be phased out altogether. Regular speech patterns such as babbling, reading aloud, and interactive speech are easier when there is no pacifier in the child's mouth.
- Address Thumb Sucking - Thumb sucking can be a hard habit for parents to force their child to stop. It's recommended to use positive reinforcement, replacement habits, and gradual reduction to help eliminate. The goal is to help your child give it up before it negatively affects their oral muscles and oral structure.
- Transition From Bottles to Cups - From the perspective of oral development and speech, transitioning from a bottle with a nipple to another drinking vessel, such as a spill-proof cup/sippy cup, between 12 and 18 months supports better oral motor patterns. It also reduces prolonged reliance on bottle nipples that do not simulate the movements needed for clear speech.
My child is experiencing speech difficulties. Is it too late?
It is never too late (or too early) to seek help from a speech therapist. If you notice speech difficulties, the best time to seek help is now.
Our speech therapy model at Great Speech is completely virtual, and our licensed speech therapists will listen to your concerns, assess your child's communication skills, and tailor a treatment plan that fits their needs and goals.
Let’s work together! Book an appointment today!