https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:04:31 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1834044 Mon, 25 Aug 2014 06:33:52 +0000 looch 1834044@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: See, that's interesting, because our speech therapist told us that we should have been done with it by 11 months.</p> <p>My son's issues are largely related to a high palette (which I also had, so part of it is genetic), poor placement of tongue when resting and short teeth. Do I think it has to do with the pacifier? Absolutely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1834042 Mon, 25 Aug 2014 06:27:52 +0000 Adira 1834042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We weaned at 11 months. But probably starting around 6 months (or so), we only let him have it for naps and bedtime, and our daycare just stopped giving it to him and he didn't seem to care, so by 11 months, I felt comfortable taking it away from him and he never seemed to notice the difference. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833985 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 23:08:13 +0000 sandy 1833985@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: best of luck - I'm sure everything will go great! I'll definitely be thinking of you :)</p> <p>That's so sad about your sister :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833980 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 22:57:17 +0000 MamaPhoenix 1833980@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: Hey lady! no surgery yet. The date is set for Oct 10th. I'm nervous, but I know it will be all good. I plan on posting about it post op. I've even gone as far as thinking about posting a you tube video. There just doesn't seem to be enough good info out there. </p> <p>Yes you are right! Speech impediments that we are concerned with are like pronunciation/lisps. Some letters/vowels not coming out properly.<br /> My sister was a thumb sucker until like 7. She pushed all her upper teeth outward and caused her palate to reshape into a "V". It also affected her lower jaw. Her ortho was going to have to break her jaw in multiple places to fix everything. It would of cause her so many problems since she was just a kid and her jaw needed to still grow. Having it broken so young could of harmed that. She never got it done. She now as an adult suffers from self esteem issues and never smiles for photos. She's the reason I went into Dental. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833958 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 22:17:34 +0000 sandy 1833958@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaPhoenix: thanks for that helpful explanation!<br /> BTW, how did your thyroid surgery go - or did you not have it yet? I'm thinking of you and hoping everything stabilizes soon :). </p> <p>Also, regarding the term "speech issues" - I don't think it affects their verbal development/ability...all the paci/finger kids I know are super verbal...it's the way they speak - that they can't make certain sounds or speak with a lisp or sound like they are speaking "baby talk" as they get older. So instead of clearly saying "scary" they say it like a baby "sca-wee" </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833920 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 21:37:21 +0000 MamaPhoenix 1833920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the Dental field we tell parents you have until the age of 3.<br /> At that point the palate and the teeth have a higher risk of long term damage. It has to do with the pressure from sucking placed in the now hard palate kinda warping it. Same with the dentition. The teeth slowly get pushed outward. Because of this there is potential for speech impediments or shifting of the teeth.This also can cause a malocclusion of the jaw. (refers to the alignment of the teeth within the maxillary (upper) and the mandible (lower jaw) to each other.<br /> That being said......my lo now 10 months has a soother and I will continue to use it for now. I will be removing it before 2.<br /> Hopefully<br /> really not even wanting to think about when that will have to happen. :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833869 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 20:38:00 +0000 T-Mom 1833869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DS is about to turn 3 and he still uses it under direction of the dentist for his underbite, during naps and sleep . No speech impediment here, but I do plan to ask the dentist to let us drop it at the next visit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833862 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 20:36:13 +0000 tequiero21 1833862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>About a year? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833855 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 20:30:14 +0000 MamaBehr 1833855@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD stopped with her paci this summer, she was over 4, and doesn't have a speech problem. She only was allowed it during nap and bedtime (she gave up nap at the same time she gave up her paci, ugh!). DS #1 still uses his, at 2.5 years, and doesn't have speech issues. He, also, is only allowed to use it at sleep times, though he tries to get it all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833794 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:52:30 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1833794@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO will be 1 next month. She started taking a paci around 2 months. She is very very vocal. Both in the good way &amp; in the "I feel like ypu never stop screaming at me!" Kind of way. She gets it during the day if she is being particularly fussy for reasons unknown. She often takes it out to talk &amp; already has a few words....I'm not looking forward to the day when we wean. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833770 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:35:30 +0000 littlecasita1122 1833770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We started limiting it to just naps and bedtime when he was about 4 months old, then he lost interest altogether when he was about 7 months old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833764 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:30:24 +0000 kiddosc 1833764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just took the paci away from our 27 month old. He has only ever been allowed to have it while he slept though. He is very articulate for his age, I think those problems are more likely to appear in children who are allowed the paci all the time </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833726 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 19:08:05 +0000 mrsjyw 1833726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS lost interest on his own at five months. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833650 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:52:54 +0000 Charm54 1833650@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She lost interest on her own around 6-8 months </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833644 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:44:54 +0000 skibobrown 1833644@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter is almost 2.5 and we still allow her to use her binky during nap and at night. I'd love to wean her off, but it's still so comforting to her. Her speech is fine, and she seems much more verbal than many kids her age. </p> <p>I sucked my fingers until... ummm... age 9? I did have a lisp, and needed a ton of dental work, but I didn't have any issues expressing myself verbally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833636 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:18:13 +0000 lovehoneybee 1833636@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E refused to touch one until he was 6 months old or so, and at 2 has only used them for naps/bed for the past year. We're planning on weaning him in the next few weeks, but I'm so scared to do it because he loves his "sassy" so much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833635 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:15:40 +0000 GrapeCrush 1833635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We weaned our son from his paci at 21ish months.<br /> I had my pacifier until I was about 4(probably a little after) and I had a speech impediment and a really bad crossbite. I plan on weaning my daughter from her paci before she's 2(she's 12.5 months) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833568 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 16:00:40 +0000 photojane 1833568@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Sadie is 18m and takes her paci for naps and sleep. She is fine to leave it in the crib, so I have no plans to wean her from it right now. She would be fine without it, but she still likes it and it hasn't created any issues thus far. Maybe at 2?</p> <p>I sucked my right middle and ring finger until right before I started kindergarten. I have no speech issues and never needed braces. And I sucked them all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833532 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:27:58 +0000 Dandelion 1833532@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>D never used one. M uses his for nighttime only, and even then it's sparingly. I'm getting rid of it by a year old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833523 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:20:37 +0000 erinpye 1833523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Our DD is 28 months old and we just weaned her off of it. It hasn't affected her speech. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833513 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:09:36 +0000 beesknees 1833513@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>both babies used it sparingly the first few months, then lost interest and we rarely offered it as well. They are both thumb suckers when very tired though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833505 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:01:30 +0000 sorrycharlie 1833505@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She still used it at 23 months for bed. She talks up a storm, so it hasn't affected anything here - but she doesn't get it while awake either. </p> <p>Fwiw, I barely used one and had terrible teeth. I read somewhere pacifiers don't influence adult teeth unless used when adult teeth come in at 6+ years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833500 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:58:22 +0000 sandy 1833500@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lawbee11: yeah, we didn't want to contribute to any potential teeth/jaw issues. Braces are no problem but my brother had jaw alignment issues and had to have surgery - no fun and expensive! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833492 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:51:03 +0000 lawbee11 1833492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: I wish my parents had done that. I sucked my thumb until I was like 7...so embarrassing! I don't have any speech impediments but I have a really bad overbite. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833486 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:46:34 +0000 californiadreams 1833486@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>we are going on 22 months and he uses the pacifier for naps and bedtime. He has definitely become attached in the past few months or more. I hope to wean by or just after his second birthday. I have to admit though that I am dreading it because he typically sleeps 10-12 hours straight at night and I am afraid that will be disrupted, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833473 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:33:23 +0000 Ginabean3 1833473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO lost interest at about 8 months! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833456 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:14:40 +0000 mrsvdv 1833456@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrsjets: @lamariniere: wow that's early for them to self-wean, impressive! And great for you of course, one less challenge to tackle! :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833454 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:11:59 +0000 pastemoo 1833454@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>26 months </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833442 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:04:53 +0000 yellowbird 1833442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We will be weaning at 2...aka next week. Omg I'm scared! She's an addict, but it's gotta go! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/pacifers-linked-with-speech-impediments#post-1833439 Sun, 24 Aug 2014 14:01:23 +0000 lamariniere 1833439@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was just thinking about this topic. I'm currently visiting my BIL's family and their 3.5 yo still has a paci, and they let him have it during the daytime (which is when I've seen it). I'm wondering about his speech, although, I can't tell if he has an impediment or if it is just his age. That said, I would never say anything to them, not my place. </p> <p>I was lucky in that my LOs self weaned. LO1 gave up by 5 months and LO2 by 3 months. </p>