Pacifier Use and Infant Development

Pacifier use is a very common practice. It is often used in the early years of a child's life to help them fall asleep or to soothe and calm them down from teething pain. The age at which a pacifier is discontinued is usually around the age of three when the child goes to nursery. Observational studies have linked early pacifier use with breastfeeding problems leading to early weaning. However, randomized controlled trials have not shown a similar negative association between early pacifier use and successful breastfeeding, suggesting that pacifier use may be a sign of breastfeeding problems and not the cause. Pacifier use is often a topic of debate when parents and professionals aim to maintain and support breastfeeding. However, the literature supports the beneficial effects of pacifier use in infants because of the associated physiological benefits, such as digestion, behavioral organization, pain management, motor function, and sucking development.

Pacifier use reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, and nonnutritive sucking has been shown to improve physiological balance and feeding in premature infants. Therefore, the risks and benefits of pacifier use should be carefully considered. In a study, it was reported that giving a pacifier on the 15th day did not change the prevalence and duration of breastfeeding, that using a pacifier was associated with a lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome, and that giving a pacifier was a useful approach. Using a pacifier can help the baby calm down and adapt to the environment. When the literature was reviewed, conflicting results were reported regarding using a pacifier. However, the effect of using a pacifier on the baby's motor development and especially sensory processing skills has not been clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate babies using a pacifier in terms of both motor development and sensory processing skills and to compare them with their peers who did not use a pacifier.