Written by Claire Burgess, Family Consultant. Dummies are often introduced in the early days or weeks of a baby being born and there is some research to suggest that using a dummy in the first 6 months for naps and night-times could help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). For more information on this please see the Lullaby Trust website.
As advised by the Lullaby Trust and the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry, it is however best to gently withdraw use of the dummy between 6 and 12 months – this is to avoid possible longer-term problems associated with dummy use (such as ear infections or misalignment of teeth - these problems have not been found below the age of one year). However, as many parents and carers know, this can certainly be easier said than done! We hope that this blog will give you some useful suggestions as to how to go about it.
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