Pacifiers Can Hurt Baby’s Language and Emotional Development
Published at
iStock/Thinkstock(MADISON, Wis.) — Annoyed that your baby is still sucking on his binky?
Researchers at University of Wisconsin-Madison have found a very good reason to discard the pacifier: it may very well be hindering your infant’s communication skills.
A previous study demonstrated that babies, and in particular, boys, may have a more difficult time copying the facial expressions of their moms and dads if there’s a pacifier stuck in their mouths while parents find it harder to read their children’s expressions.
The researchers then asked 29 young women from France to view photos of babies showing various facial expressions, some of which were completely visible while others were covered by a pacifier or white square.
In monitoring their reactions, the researchers discovered the women rated babies happier when there was nothing obstructing their faces in the photos. Meanwhile, the participants were also less likely to mimic the babies’ expression of anger or sadness when the faces in the photos were partially blocked.
Therefore, their study concluded that if pacifiers hide real expressions, it could slow down baby’s learning and emotional development.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio