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Original poster

Concerned about speech - could the dummy be responsible?

32 replies

Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 08:48

My son is 15 months and only says ma ma and da da. I keep reading he should have around 5 words by this age.

Since being about 10/11 months he’s been absolutely obsessed by a dummy and it’s been really difficult to prise it off him and I’m concerned this has had an adverse affect on his speech.

Has anyone got any tips for developing his speech? I do read with him and talk with him.

OP posts:
Antsinmypantsneedtodance · 26/02/2022 08:54

Dummies ideally should be phased out by 12 months.

Has it impacted his speech? No one will know for sure. But beyond 12 months it does begin to impact oral development. Children learn at different rates. So i wouldn't panic just yet.

It's obviously parental choice and lots of children have dummies beyond 12 months. But personally I'd ditch the dummy and then worry about speech.

loveacuppa5 · 26/02/2022 08:57

I wouldn't worry too much. My DS was a little late to hit those milestones but he's almost 3 now and his speech is amazing. We did take the dummy off him during the day after he turned 2 😃

Original poster
Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 08:58

I am trying to ban it during the day but it’s an uphill struggle!

OP posts:
Original poster
Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 08:59

It is noticeable that when he doesn’t have the dummy he babbles constantly but when he has the dummy he doesn’t, or makes awful URRGGHHH noises in place of ma ma ma ma.

OP posts:
Biscuitsneeded · 26/02/2022 09:03

My DS didn't say his first word until 21 months. He got all 7s - 9s in his GCSEs last summer and a distinction for spoken English, is very articulate and wants to be an actor. Kids develop at different rates. Mine was storing all his very clever thoughts inside until he could express himself well.

Does your child have delayed speech? Absolutely not. Do dummies affect speech and dental development? Yes, it's well documented. I wouldn't worry yet about the lack of speech but I would take steps to get rid of the dummy.

NobodysGonnaKnow · 26/02/2022 09:03

My understanding is that yes, they do make an impact.

Footballsundays6777 · 26/02/2022 09:04

They all develop at different times, my DS was a walker not a talker… and hit all his crawling milestones etc early, his speech came to him by 3 and he didn’t look back. However he only went to nursery one day a week.
DD has been both a walker and a talker, she’s spoken in sentences since about 18 months and is 2.5 now and her speech is better than most 3/4 year olds. She’s at nursery full
Time. She’s also dummy obssesed and loves them.

Littlebutload · 26/02/2022 09:06

Get rid of the soother, my little fella didn't talk much until we got rid of it. He loved his Soothers but we just went cold turkey and he got over it after a few days.

Zonder · 26/02/2022 09:06

You need to make the dummy something that is associated with going to sleep. So leave it in the cot and take him out. When he wants it in the day distract him. It will be tough but you need to do it. He won't speak properly while it's in his mouth.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 26/02/2022 09:06

One of my dds was still using a dummy now and then (at home, in private) until she was coming up to 6.

Her speech was unaffected and her teeth were always perfect.

Honestly, OP, 15 months is far too soon to be worrying about speech delay. The ages at which children with no SN walk and talk etc. can vary enormously.

I dare say I’ve said it before on here, but my MiL once told me that eldest BiL barely uttered at all until he was 3. She’d been getting very worried, but once he started, it came out in whole sentences. He’d just been taking it all in and biding his time.

He later won a scholarship to Cambridge.

Changemyname18 · 26/02/2022 09:06

At the risk of stating the obvious, children develop at different rates to everything you read in books, the internet and hear from -well meaning- friend, family and Mumsnet. But your 15 month old will not be practising speech when a dummy is in their mouth. Therefore ditch the dummy. You may have a hard couple of days but the long term benefit is worth the short term gain. The dummy is a comforter, so try to replace that with a toy or soft piece of fabric (Even an old muslin). If a toy make sure you have more than one the same should one go missing or for getting in the wash ). Child will still seek to hold it to their face for comfort but it will not restrict their speech

XelaM · 26/02/2022 09:13

My daughter used a dummy (absolute life-saver and the reason she slept through the night from 4 months onwards!) and she is now 12 with no issues whatsoever. She's a chatterbox is anything

XelaM · 26/02/2022 09:13

if anything*

Original poster
Butwhereareyou · 26/02/2022 09:14

Thanks. I try really hard with the dummy but he’s also clever at finding them (even tried to mug another baby once Blush Grin) and also DH is a bit of a pain and constantly gives it to him. I don’t mind for sleep but I like to hear his voice.

OP posts:
Outwiththenorm · 26/02/2022 09:35

I read about pricking a tiny hole in dummies that makes them less fun to suck? Worth a try.

hangrylady · 26/02/2022 09:42

My two both had dummies and they never shut up so not in my experience.

Thesearmsofmine · 26/02/2022 09:45

15 months is very small and I wouldn’t be worried about his lack of words right now. I would however be working on the easing off the dummy during the day, I would go to sleep time only first and then cut it completely.

pliss · 26/02/2022 10:01

Yes, it absolutely could. My sister is a speech therapist and a lecturer on her course said that if he could wave a magic wand, he would remove all dummies due to the effect they have on speech delay and articulation.

OfstedOffred · 26/02/2022 10:01

15m is young for speech but the dummy obsession will only get worse, if you allow it to continue by age 2 he may want to suck on a dummy all day long.

I've got several friends who tolerated a lot of dummy use and their children all have the very noticeable dummy gap. Some kids will manage to develop good speech despite a dummy but for most, daytime use negatively impacts speech. You will notice nurseries and preschools generally don't allow them past a certain age and there's a reason.

Lazypuppy · 26/02/2022 10:05

Just keep persevering for dummy to only be for naps and sleep. Find other comforters for the day

zingally · 26/02/2022 10:09

My DS was the better part of 20 months before he really said anything much. And even then it was only really "mum, dad, car, no."

He's just turned 5 now, and his speech is fantastic, clear as a bell, and he's really articulate.

My DD spoke marginally earlier (maybe 18 months?), and is the same now. Crystal clear speech, and non-stop chatter.

OnceuponaRainbow18 · 26/02/2022 10:11

I would just bin everyone dummy so he can’t find them. Tough love

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 26/02/2022 10:13

I agree with ditching it during the day,only have it at night. Don't be scared of him crying, just be firm and distract him.

curlii103 · 26/02/2022 10:15

My daughter is 14 months and only says mama. Never had a dummy or bottle. I do personally think they impact speech and i would get rid of it now because i see kids pushing 3 with them but i domt think speech is a concern at that age

Seeline · 26/02/2022 10:16

Use the dummy for nap and bed only. You have to persevere.
Lots of reading together.
Talk to him all the time - sort of running commentary on your day. Ask him questions - of course you won't get an actual answer but it encourages conversation eg Do you want the red car? Shall we play with the red car, or do you want the blue car? Show him each as you mention it.
Do lots of rhymes and singing with him. Action songs are great.