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From:  Miller, Kathleen A.
Sent:  Tuesday, May 18, 1999 4:50 PM
To:  [log in to unmask]
Subject:  Pacifers and SIDS

Hi, gang!
  I'm getting alittle tired of this one, so I thought I'd add my two   
cents in:
I attended Peter Fleming's presentation on his group's research on this   
topic at the BSC conference in March.  I also have a copy of the recent   
article in Pediatrics.
Unless I heard wrong, what seems to be said is that Non-Nutritive Sucking   
seems to have some protective factor (pacifer, breast, thumb, fist, etc).   
 He also cautioned that there seemed to be a critical cut off point at   
about two months of age.  Giving a baby a pacifer before two months   
taught them to rely on it and if they drop it during the night they don't   
seem to have the ability to suck on their hands/thumbs instead.
( Therefore they are at a higher risk of SIDS on that particulair   
night?).   After two months they seem to do both.  What I read from this   
is that you should let them thumb suck etc. until two months and not   
introduce a pacifer until after that point.  Dr. Fleming is the first one   
to caution that further research needs to be done.
     Thanks,
     Kathy  Miller
     Washington, D.C.

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