Pacifier habit: history and multidisciplinary view

Abstract

Objectives: To review the history of pacifiers and to compile a multidisciplinary literature review, searching for pros and cons with the purpose of providing health professionals with arguments when parents request guidance. Sources:History and art books, as well as non-medical literature and museums were used in the historical survey. Multidisciplinary data were collected from MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO, and The Cochrane Library. Search criteria were: the keyword "pacifiers" present in articles published in the last 5 years that included abstract and were written in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. Summary of the findings:There is evidence that their precursors have been used since the Neolithic Period to calm down children. Small balls made of fabric containing food were portrayed in paintings. Other balls made of non-perishable material persisted throughout time. Pacifiers have been used to stimulate sucking or to coordinate this reflex, promoting an earlier beginning of the oral feeding of newborns. Some authors suggest that pacifiers reduce the incidence of the sudden death syndrome, but the topic is controversial. Pacifiers prevent the establishment of breastfeeding and lead to weaning. Their use may cause suffocation, poisoning, or allergies and increases the risk of caries, infections, and intestinal parasitic diseases. Harmful effects are related to frequency, duration, and intensity of the habit. It should be discontinued by the age of 3 or 4 in order not to affect speech and dentition. Conclusions:There are more harmful effects than benefits. It is advisable that health professionals inform parents of the pros and cons of pacifiers so that they can make a conscious decision regarding its use.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2009;85(6):480-489: Pacifier, sucking behavior. ResumoObjetivos: Resgatar a história da chupeta e fazer um levantamento multidisciplinar da literatura, buscando prós e contras, com o propósito de oferecer aos profissionais da saúde subsídios para orientarem os pais. Fontes dos dados:O levantamento histórico foi realizado em livros de história, arte, literatura secular, museus, e a busca de dados, em livros e nas bases MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO e Biblioteca Cochrane. Os limites para busca foram: pacifiers, últimos 5 anos, com resumo, texto em português, inglês ou espanhol. Síntese dos dados:Existem evidências de que os precursores da chupeta foram empregados desde o período neolítico para acalmar as crianças. Bolinhas de pano que continham alimentos ficaram imortalizadas em telas. Outras, feitas de materiais não perecíveis, resistiram ao tempo. A chupeta tem sido utilizada para estimular a sucção ou para coordenar esse reflexo, antecipando o início da alimentação oral de recém-nascidos. Alguns sugerem que diminui a incidência de morte súbita, mas o assunto é controverso. Ela impede o estabelecimento da mamada e induz ao desmame. Pode provocar asfixia, intoxicações ou alergias e aumenta o risco de cáries, infecções e parasitoses intestinais. Efeitos deletérios se associam à frequência, duração...

Prevalência do uso de chupeta em lactentes amamentados e não amamentados atendidos em um hospital universitário

“…Discussions of pacifier use can vary depending on what the professional being consulted wishes to focus on, but even so, it is up to the parents to make the decision on whether to use a pacifier and they should be informed of the effects (8) . This study provides information that makes it possible to evaluate the reasons why mothers give their children pacifiers.…”

“…Pacifiers have more harmful effects than beneficial ones (8) , but despite this the myth that they help to soothe children appears to trump any other information given to parents, since 92% of the mothers who had originally intended to use a pacifier said it was to soothe the child and 72% of those who had originally intended not to use a pacifier but ended…”

“…Since suction stimulus may be used to prepare newborn infants initially fed via nasogastric tube for oral feeding (8,26) , pacifiers may have been given to children who were premature or who had been admitted to hospital during the neonatal period.…”

“…No reasons for contraindicating pacifiers have been suggested within the field of Psychology, but other healthrelated disciplines have demonstrated that their use is linked with more harmful effects than beneficial ones (8) . In general, harm is linked with age of first use, and the duration, frequency and intensity of the habit once acquired (8) .…”

“…In general, harm is linked with age of first use, and the duration, frequency and intensity of the habit once acquired (8) .…”