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 Children’s 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 pacifier “almost all the time.”
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Getting a child to stop using a pacifier can be challenging, and parents use a variety of tactics to help their child break the habit.
Around 30% limited use at bedtime, while 31% of parents said they hide the pacifier and about 20% said they explained that their child was too big for one. A third let the child decide when to stop.
Most parents believe pacifier use should end by age 2 (79%), while 57% felt the same about thumb-sucking. Some parents admitted they waited too long to intervene—9% for pacifiers and 16% for thumb/finger-sucking.
Experts warn that prolonged use of either habit can affect mouth shape, teeth alignment, and even speech.
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