Infant sucking habits may affect speech
Soothers, bottles and finger sucking may hamper a child’s speech development if the habit goes on too long, a new study indicates.
The study, which involved almost 130 children aged three to five years, found that persistent sucking habits increased the risk of speech disorders.
The researchers found that children who sucked their fingers or who used a soother for more than three years were three times more likely to develop speech impediments.
However, the study also found that by delaying bottle-feeding until the child was at least nine months old reduced the risk of speech disorders.
“These results suggest extended sucking outside of breastfeeding may have detrimental effects on speech development in young children,” the researchers said.
Previous research has also suggested that breastfeeding is beneficial to developing co-ordinated breathing, swallowing and speech articulation.
The study was published in the US journal Pediatrics.
Source: irishhealth.com
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