Margie describes a study suggesting that kids who use dummies (pacifiers) had lower IQ scores or problems with intellect. There were no refs attached, so we can't really credit it, but I will add a hypothetical comment. If the observation is valid, reverse causality again could be involved. What if children who are attracted to pacifiers have subtle brain disorders or weaknesses that make pacifiers either necessary or somehow useful to them? I've discussed before the fact (with refs. galore from the Japanese ENT lit -- see archives) that there appears to be an association both with excessive thumb sucking and pacifier use and breathing disorders/apnea. These children appear to be using non-nutritive suck as a way to maintain patent airways and to control their respiratory function via a secondary pathway because the primary cerebral control center for breathing is depressed. This appears to be the mechanism that Fleming identified in his study (see archives) that observed an increase in SIDS AFTER pacifier use was discontinued. Those babies were relying upon the pacifiers to prevent apnea. So it follows from that literature that these may be babies with something amiss. Therefore, do we blame the pacifier, or should we look more closely at the baby? I refer people to the nice article by Maria Ramsey (Ramsey,M and Gisel,E: Neonatal Sucking and Maternal Feeding Practices, Dev Med and Child Neurol 1996, 38:34-47.) This article describes feeding problems as the earliest sign of neurological dysfunction. This discussion relates back to the 'nipple confusion' dialog we've all been engaged in. Is the preference for pacifiers/bottles and the inability to breastfeed (either prior or following bottle teat exposure) a marker for a baby (rather than a teat ) problem? I think it is. Does this mean we go into long, alarming explanations: No. I think we just do the best we can to get the breastfeeding going, because it is obviously most impt. for these babies to have the benefits and protections of milk. Luckily, many neurological problems appear to be transient. Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd, IBCLC Austin Lactation Associates http://www.lactnews.com *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html