X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Pacifiers linked to stunted emotional growth

27 Sep, 2012
Are pacifiers bad?

Do pacifiers stunt emotional growth?

The pacifier, dummy or binky might seem like an easy way to soothe a cranky baby, but new research seems to suggest that heavy usage might do more harm than good.

The study conducted by Professor Niedenthal from the University of Wisconsin found that six and seven year old boys with heavy pacifier usage, when they were babies, were less likely to react to the facial expressions of the people appearing in the video shown during a test.

The study also included a group of college students who participated in written exams testing emotional intelligence such as empathy. Amongst the tested group, the ones who recalled heavier pacifier use had lower scores than those who were not as dependent on the pacifier.

Frozen expressions
The reasoning behind this study is that a pacifier acts as an obstruction in the mouth causing the baby’s ability to mirror expressions to diminish with prolonged usage. What is interesting is the study only found this hindrance to emotional development to be the case for boys and not girls.

Girls getting more attention?
Professor Niedenthal has a unique take on this disparity saying, ‘It could be that parents are inadvertently compensating for girls using the pacifier, because they want their girls to be emotionally sophisticated. Because that’s a girly thing [and] since girls are not expected to be unemotional, they’re stimulated in other ways. But because boys are desired to be unemotional, when you plug them up with a pacifier, you don’t do anything to compensate and help them learn about emotions.’

Pacifiers and babies

What do you think of using a pacifier for your baby?

However, her analysis is not grounded in scientific evidence and Niedenthal and her team will be doing more research to figure out why girls seem to not be affected (or how they may compensate) for prolonged pacifier use.

To pacify(er) or not?
If you’re still unsure whether you should chuck out that dummy despite the screaming of your baby, we give you a list of the pros and cons of using a pacifier.

Pros
1. A pacifier could soothe a fussy baby in between feeds. Some babies are most content when they’re sucking on something and it might free you to run your errands.

2. It offers temporary distraction especially during high stress situations such as doctor’s visits or long car rides.

3. It might ease the discomfort a baby feels in a flight such as blocked ear drums. Sucking on a pacifier might help.

4. It might help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as prior research has found an association between pacifier use during sleep and a reduced risk of SIDS.

5. It’s disposable. You can always throw out the pacifier when you feel it’s time for your baby to stop. However, it your child prefers sucking on his or her thumb, it would prove more of a challenge to break the habit.

Cons
1. Early pacifier use might interfere with breastfeeding as a baby is actually sensitive to the differences between an artificial nipple and a real one.

2. Your baby might become dependent on the pacifier and reject breastfeeding altogether.

3. Pacifier use might increase the risk of middle ear infections.

4. Prolonged pacifier use might lead to dental problems. If your child is still using the pacifier regularly after he has turned two, it might cause his or her top front teeth to slant outward or not grow properly.

 

[polldaddy poll=6564392]

 

For more related articles on your baby and pacifiers, see:

Pacifiers: the good, bad, how and when to wean

Are pacifiers good for your baby?

Stop your toddler from putting everything in her mouth

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Wafa Marican

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • Pacifiers linked to stunted emotional growth
Share:
  • Stunted growth rate of children in Pakistan linked to low breastfeeding rates

    Stunted growth rate of children in Pakistan linked to low breastfeeding rates

  • 5 Emotional Skills Your Child Should Possess

    5 Emotional Skills Your Child Should Possess

  • Stunted growth rate of children in Pakistan linked to low breastfeeding rates

    Stunted growth rate of children in Pakistan linked to low breastfeeding rates

  • 5 Emotional Skills Your Child Should Possess

    5 Emotional Skills Your Child Should Possess

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.