This is a great blog post I saw on ASHA’s blog.  Click HERE to check it out. Talks about how babies and toddlers who use pacifiers, bottles and sippy cups for too long can impact speech and swallowing.   I thought it gave a lot of interesting points—worth the read?

Kiddos who have the paci in for too long or too often miss out on babbling and speech opportunities.  They’re meant to keep kids soothed (i.e. quiet).   And in a pinch, or even through the first year, paci’s can be great.  After their first birthday, send them to the “paci fairy” and give them the boot!   My own boy, Carson, LOVES his pacifier.  He demands to have it at night, but otherwise we make every attempt to keep him “paci-free!”

Sippy cups.  Great invention.   BUT….they were made only for convenience.  Not for child development.  These cups are a lifesaver to parents, allowing kids to drink on their own and preventing the inevitable spilling of diluted apple juice and milk all over your house!  And in the car?  Gotta have one, right?  But sometimes, parents view their child being able to drink from a sippy cup as a big jump in development.  Realistically, they’re functional short term, but should also be ditched for real drinking cups.  When kids use bottles or sippy cups too long, they become problematic.  They can cause dental issues, as well.  If your kiddo is heading to preschool…. ditch the sippy cup!  Typically developing kids are perfectly capable of drinking from a regular cup around that age.  And it’s better for them!  Check out the article above if you have a little one and want more info!  🙂