Non-nutritive suckling and use of pacifiers
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Updated: Aug 20, 2026

Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling
Published on: February 5, 2019
G P Mathur1, S Mathur, G S Khanduja
1Department of Pediatrics, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur.
Abstract:
One hundred and sixteen infants and children with normal development were studied for their non-nutritive suckling habit with special reference to pacifier suckling. The use of pacifier was more common among the lower socio-economic group (83.6%) and those residing in slums (58.6%). In 88.7% of cases it was the mother, family member, friend or relative who was responsible for introduction of pacifier to the baby with the aim to soothe the child. The other indications for use of pacifier were to facilitate dentition (60.0%) and nutritive function (18.1%). The use of pacifier in most of the cases was associated with chronic diarrhea (86.2%), respiratory illnesses (52.5%) and pica (10.2%). Defective dentition was noted only in 5.1% of children. The medical/paramedical staff were against the use of pacifiers.
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