Should I give my baby a dummy? - NHS Kirklees

How can I stop my child having a dummy?Wean your child from a dummy in the same way that you wean off thebreast or bottle. Here are some suggestions that you may find helpful:• At first, try to get your child used to having a dummy only when theyare going to sleep.• Take the dummy out of your child’s mouth when they are asleep.• Always make sure that your child takes the dummy out of their mouthwhen they are talking.• When your child cries, try to think of another way of comforting themfirst. Don’t use the dummy as your first choice.• Don’t use a dummy to get your child to be quiet.• Don’t pin the dummy to their clothes or hang it round their neck.• Don’t let your child walk around with a dummy in their mouth.• If your child starts going somewhere such as playgroup, don’t take thedummy. They will then accept that this is not part of this newexperience.Weaning your child off their dummy can be stressful for both you andyour child. If you are finding it very difficult to do, ask your health visitorfor advice.Your health visitor’s detailsReference:tq1344Date of publication: Dec 2006© Kirklees Primary Care Trustwww.kirklees-pct.nhs.ukThis information can bemade available in otherformats including largeprint and other languages.Should I give mybaby a dummy?Advice for parents

Should I give my baby a dummy?Should I give my baby a dummy?Should I give my baby a dummy?Babies are often given dummies as a comfort or to help them go to sleep.There is nothing wrong with this and the occasional use of a dummy hashelped to keep many a harassed parent sane!If you do give your child a dummy try getting one with an orthodonticteat as these are designed to cause the least damage to the growth ofyour child’s teeth.What about when my child is older?If your child carries on using a dummy when they are a toddler it canbecome a difficult habit to break.Ask yourself the following questions:• Does my child always carry a dummy?• Does my child have the dummy in their mouth during the day?• Does my child have more than one dummy?• Does my child try to talk with the dummy in their mouth?• Are my child’s teeth growing evenly or are the top ones shorter thanthe others?• Does my child nod or shake his head, point or gesture, rather than takethe dummy out of their mouth to talk?• Are there some speech sounds that my child is unable to say?• Does my child have more difficultly making herself understood thantheir friends do?If you answered "yes" to more than one of these questions this maymean that your child’s dummy is becoming a problem.What problems can there be if my child uses adummy a lot?It is important to remember that it is the length of time a dummy is usedand how often during the day, rather than the dummy itself which cancause problems.If the habit is broken early, the child will not miss it and will not be ableto ask for it! Older children are more persuasive and persistent.The following problems can be associated with prolonged dummysucking:Talking• Very young babies make cooing and babbling sounds as theyexperiment in preparation for their first words. Using a dummyfrequently in the early months restricts the amount of time they can dothis.• Dummy sucking babies are often more contented and don’t activelyseek as much stimulation from their environment.• Talking with the dummy in their mouth stops the child’s tongue fromgetting into the right position for speaking and faulty speech patternsmay develop.Teeth• Continual use of a dummy once the teeth have started to appear canmake the teeth uneven. Sometimes there is an open bite where thefront teeth cannot close together. This can affect speech sounds.• If you dip the dummy in sugary drinks or food such as jam or honeythe teeth will decay.