Can a pacifier cause a speech delay?
Newborn pacifiers are more than okay to use! Just make sure your child is weaned off their pacifier by 2 years old! If you decide to give a newborn pacifier to your baby you will want an Ingy Bingy Band, a pacifier wristband, to go with it!
By Emily Rogers
It’s difficult to know how many kids have a speech delay due to the wait and see approach. 2 of my 3 kids have had a speech delay and had great speech therapists to help them overcome their obstacles. My oldest is 5.5 years old and is right on track with his speech now!
With our first we tried the wait and see approach so when we noticed our daughter was only saying one word at 15 months we were really proactive. We knew waitlists for early intervention could be long so we got on the list and had her evaluated within a month! I’m happy to share after less than a year of therapy she just graduated and is right on track and even ahead in some aspects of speech and language development!
How to know if your child has a speech delay?
It can be difficult to know if your child has a speech delay because, well, oftentimes, we don’t know what we don’t know! We don’t always know what’s “normal.” My best advice is to always go to your pediatrician checkups because their evaluations are SO helpful with knowing if your child is on track. If they note they are even a little bit behind, you can ALWAYS get an evaluation! It doesn’t hurt and it might give you more peace of mind than anything!
There’s nothing wrong with the wait and see approach. However, studies show that “Evidence implies that untreated speech and language delay can persist in 40%–60% of the children and these children are at a higher risk of social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems in adulthood.” Always trust your mom gut and advocate for your child if you feel strongly about getting a speech evaluation!
Can pacifiers cause a speech delay?
Possibly. There have been studies that have show negative results between pacifier use and speech and language development in toddlers aged 2-3. A recent study found that using the pacifier beyond 3 years of age affects abstract word processing later in life (Barca et al., 2020). To help reduce the potential of negative effects, researchers suggest limiting pacifier use.
I say all of this to give parents peace of mind. Newborn pacifiers are more than okay to use! Just make sure your child is weaned off their pacifier by 2 years old! If your child is over 2 and still using a pacifier researchers said to make sure that day time pacifier use is limited. Try to only offer an infant pacifier at naps and bedtime if your child is not ready to say bye bye paci yet!
If you decide to give a newborn pacifier to your new baby, you will want a pacifier accessory to go with it! You need the Ingy Bingy Band, a pacifier wristband! A pacifier clip has been the typical solution to this problem. However, babies can’t typically put their newborn pacifier back in their mouth on their own using a pacifier clip until they are around 8 months. The Ingy Bingy Band is a pacifier wristband that helps your fussy baby to calm down all on their own! This pacifier bracelet helps babies to self-soothe from as early as four months old! This pacifier wristband helps your baby find their newborn pacifier on their own without you losing your sanity!
How to prevent a speech delay
You can’t always prevent a speech delay. Sometimes genetic factors make it impossible to avoid. Some activities you can do to try to prevent speech delay are:
-engaging in face-to-face communication
-singing
-reading aloud to infants
The Ingy Bingy Band is not your everyday pacifier clip! This game-changing pacifier wristband helps babies self-soothe at a younger age than ever before! Instinctively, babies gnaw on their hands in an attempt to soothe. The Ingy Bingy pacifier wristband keeps their pacifier right where they’ll find it, allowing your baby to comfort and calm themselves while you do whatever it is you need to do!
Our buttery soft wristband comes in two styles to accommodate every pacifier.
Our Pacific style should be used when your baby’s pacifier holes are near their nose and chin when in use. It is most commonly used with Avent, BIBS, Dr. Brown’s, MAM, Nuby, NUK, Medela, FRIGG, Nanobébé, Tommee Tippee, and Chicco pacifiers.
Our Sequoia style should be used when your baby’s pacifier holes are near their nose and chin when in use. It is most commonly used with Itzy Ritzy, Ryan & Rose, and The Dearest Grey pacifiers.
If you are still unsure which pacifier wristband style is right for you, check out our style guide or text the name and/or picture of your preferred paci & we’ll let you know which style is right for you!