Thumbs or Pacifers?

Thumbs or Pacifers?
By Dr. Kyle Pruett

Thumb-sucking and pacifiers are guaranteed to evoke debate whenever the topic is raised with parents, especially new ones. We have no trouble remembering relevant stories in our own families about thumb-suckers and how old they were when they stopped.

FACT: Many children choose to suck their thumbs from before they are born because it is an important form of self-soothing and comfort.

Here are a few considerations that shape this debate as you make your decision about skin versus plastic:

CONTEMPLATING GERMS?
Thumbs and pacifiers are about equally un-hygienic, but both can be washed frequently.

CONCERNED ABOUT TEETH DEFORMITY?
Dentists have found that genetic tendencies forecast the need for braces more often than sucking a thumb or pacifier in infancy. The exception may be "24/7 -suckers" through kindergarten and beyond.

PACIFIER VERSUS THUMB?
Your thumb is always with you - no late night 911's to the nearest pharmacy. The pacifier, however, is easier to remove when the day comes (typically first in a parent's mind), and seems less self-indulgent to many parents.

PARTNER CONSENSUS?
Talk to your partner. Do not assume that your partner has an identical philosophy about thumb versus pacifier as yours. This is an important conversation to have and revisit. Discuss this topic with your child's teacher. Most parent magazines also cover this issue regularly.

Try not to make this a big deal. Very few children go to college with their pacifiers.

At the same time, denying your children their comfort at a time when they may need it most will backfire more often than not, increasing their attachment to it. Children who know when it's time for their comfort are showing you they know a thing or two about their needs, not that they have a habit.



Kyle D. Pruett, MD. is an advisor for The Goddard School®. Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over 25 years. He is Director Emeritus of Zero-to-Three, the National Center for Infants,Toddlers and Families, in Washington, DC.

To learn more about The Goddard School®, please visit us online at www.goddardschool.com.