US EditionWhen Should Your Child Stop Using a Pacifier?
- On May 19, 2025, a University of Michigan poll surveyed 820 American parents about children’s pacifier and thumb sucking habits, focusing on 18-month-olds.
- The poll addressed parental anxieties and differing opinions on when to stop these habits, noting that some children self-wean by age two to four as they manage stress.
- Experts like Dr. Sarat Thikkurissy and Dr. Dipesh Navsaria said these habits can affect dental alignment and ear infections, but stopping by 18 months is ideal only if not difficult.
- Dr. Navsaria advised parents not to worry if thumb sucking continues until age two or three, and emphasized supporting children’s self-soothing without punishment.
- The findings suggest parents should tailor responses to children’s needs, seek professional advice if needed, and understand that habits may temporarily return with stress such as starting school.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Pacifiers a go-to for soothing children, but weaning is a challenge, parents say
Pacifiers may spark debate among parents, but a new poll shows they remain a go-to tool for helping young children self-soothe.More than half of parents say their child currently or previously used a pacifier, according to a national survey by C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.Among pacifier users, 79% did so at bedtime or naptime, while 47% used them when stressed or fussy. Nearly one in five parents said their child used a pa…
When should your child stop using a pacifier or sucking their thumb? It’s a struggle for parents
By Kameryn Griesser, CNN (CNN) — Every night, Lauren Finney Harden and her husband would awaken to the cries of their first-born daughter, and a routine game of “paci pong” — where each parent takes turns retrieving the fallen pacifier — would ensue. After countless sleepless nights, the Atlanta mother of two said she decided to enlist the help of the “paci fairy,” who would come in the middle of the night to exchange her 18-month-old’s prized b…
Pacifiers a go-to for soothing children, but weaning is a challenge, parents say | National Poll on Children's Health
Pacifiers a go-to for soothing children, but weaning is a challenge, parents say saraly Tue, 05/20/2025 - 07:48 Source URL Scripps News Publication Date May 19, 2025 Related Report(s) Helpful or a habit? Parent views on pacifiers and thumb-sucking
Some Parents Say They Waited Too Long to Stop Pacifier Use or Thumb-Sucking in Children
Pacifiers and thumb-sucking can help soothe babies and ease them to sleep but some parents struggle with knowing when and how to stop these habits, a new national poll suggests.
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