How old do you think is too old for a child to have a pacifier?

Question

To me-this is just my opinion-pacifiers are for BABIES, to quiet them down until you can make them a bottle, or they fall asleep, and aren't meant to be in a baby's mouth all the time, and I hate to see a young child, like 5 or 6 years old walking around with a pacifier. That just irks me to no end, and makes me want to slap the parent. No offense to parents who give their children pacifiers, but don't you think it's time to break the habit, besides, it's bad for their teeth! What do you think?

Answer 1

well pacifiers make teeth grow in all directions. ban em i say

Answer 2

I agree, not after age 1 for sure.

Answer 3

actually it's a bad idea to use pacifiers "to quiet them down". A pacifier should not be used as a replacement for your comfort. A pacifier is actually suposed to be used to satisfy a babies deep need for sucking. Infants have a natural need to suck often, some babies more than others. Once the need for so much sucking has passed then the pacifier becomes habit. You can tell this is happening when you see your baby chewing on it rather than sucking, or just holding it in their mouth playing with it, etc...

I beleive over one year is too old to have one. I have 4 boys, three of them had one and I took all three away around 8-10 months. I had no issues taking it away at all. It's when you wait until it's become habit that you will have issues removing it.  

Answer 4

after age 2 is too old. it's hard to break that habit, too, the older they get.

Answer 5

Some kids it isn't as easy at just taking it away. Some children need to give it up and break the habit by themselves. But I do agree seeing kids 4 and up with one out and about is just plain disgusting.

Oh, btw my Mum is a dentist and she has been for over 27 years, dummies (paci's) may hinder speech, but they do not affect teeth alignment, that is hereditary or from thumb sucking.

Answer 6

I think shortly after weening would be appropriate. By the time the child is two, they should be well off the pacifier.

Answer 7

I dont get people who say "they should only have them until 2 because it  is bad for the development of their teeth"

that makes no sense. babies usually start getting their teeth about 6-12 months.......

Answer 8

less than 6 m

Answer 9

Yes.  I saw it last week and it really annoyed me to see a girl who would take the pacifier out to talk and then put it back in!

Answer 10

I totally agree with you.  I took both of my children off at about 16 months.

Answer 11

Pacifiers aren't just "to quiet down" the babies.  They serve as a self-soothing mechanism, which is important to developing the baby's sense of security.  They also help sooth the pain of teething, etc.

I think any child up to age 2 is perfectly fine to use a pacifier, because they are still teething.

Answer 12

I think that two years old should be the absolute cut-off.  Like you said, it harms the development of their teeth, can delay their speech, and hinders their independence.  Past that, is more for the parent than the child.

P.S.- On an unrelated note, I would pay to see you and Old Fashioned Mom throwdown, Corporate Mom.  ;)

Answer 13

From personal experience I definitely think the dummy inhibits speech.  I left my son with a dummy until he was almost three because I expected some massive problems in taking it away because I had already let it go too long.  Fact was we just went cold turkey and it really wasn't too difficult.  My son was definitely behind on his speech and within six months of taking it away he has come on in leaps and bounds and is probably now advance.  If I knew then what I know now purely from experience I wouldn't have let him have it past twelve months.

Answer 14

past 18months outside the house past 2-2n half altogether

Answer 15

as soon as they are off the bottle, they should be off the paci.

Answer 16

I totally agree with you!

My oldest son had a dummy (they are called dummies in England) up until the age of 2, and even then i thought i have left it a bit late taking it away.

i am amazes at the number of older kids who still have them! My best friends son had his up until the age of 7!!

Answer 17

Honestly, I never gave them to my kids, when they were kids they weren't that fussy and learned to settle themselves by rubbing their own head or holding on to something. With that said, I think 6 to 9 months should be the cutoff, it seems once over that age they get really attached to things like that and then it's harder and harder to get rid of it.  But i have been in the store and seen a 4 or 5 year old with one hanging out of their mouth, trying to talk, no one can understand them and I just want to snatch it out of their mouth!