Theresa, You're very welcome! Really glad if I was of help. Actually, I
was electrified at the intimations that pacifiers could perhaps be linked
to SIDS, and the carcinogens business almost had my eyes popping. I was
disappointed that our medical library didn't have the journals where all
the "interesting" articles appeared - hope you have better luck in
reading the whole study.
If it's true that pacifier use puts infants and children at either a
health risk or psychological risk, then I believe that we should make it
our business to INFORM all people, not just health professionals, of the
dangers - same process actually of changing our society/culture as the
great progress we've made in changing perceptions of breastfeeding. I'm
proposing doing the same thing with pacifiers, and not only improve
breastfeeding, but overall health for ALL children! How's that for a Holy
Grail?
I appreciate not wanting to completely turn mothers off, so
some of you out there have been writing posts about how you accommodate
up to a point on pacifier use. However, if something is potentially
harmful to a child, I am a real hardhead. I was not a particularly
permissive parent, by the way. If my kid ran out into the street, s/he
got a smart smack on the bottom and a tongue-lashing, while I saw other
parents simply run after them laughing and bring them to the curb. I say,
warn mothers that pacifiers not only are a dirty habit which introduces
all kinds of germs to the kid's mouth, but may cause dental problems
(with bills that will knock their socks off) later, more ear infections
NOW, and even now the possibility that it may be linked to SIDS is being
investigated. Just like we do with abm.
Everyone of course has their own cultural background and style of
parenting - that has come thru very clearly in the lovely lovely
discussions we have via email. Perhaps taking a tough stance won't work
for everyone. My acute (to some) reaction is a result of my shock into
what some of the research has found. How come I never heard of this
stuff? Off the soapbox. Judy K