An analysis of pattern of dental injuries after fall accidents in 0- to 2-year-old children - does the use of pacifier at the time of injury make a difference?

A new technology for pacifier weaning: a thematic analysis

Introduction

Babies and toddlers often become accustomed to using baby pacifiers. However, pacifiers may harm children's health and lead to various problems, such as less frequent breastfeeding, shorter breastfeeding duration, dental deformities, tooth decay, recurrent acute otitis media, sleep disorders, and the potential for accidents. This study aims to introduce new technology that may prevent babies from becoming used to a pacifier (patent titled "Prevents Getting Used to Pacifier Baby, Number SA10609, Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property"). This study used a descriptive qualitative design.

Methods

The participants included three pediatricians, three psychologists, three dentists, three family doctors, and three mothers of babies and toddlers, with a mean age of 42.6 years old (SD = 9.51). Semi-structured interviews were used, and thematic analysis was conducted to generate a thematic tree.

Results and Discussion

The thematic analysis resulted in three themes: (1) the disadvantages of pacifier use, (2) the introduction of new technology for the patent, and (3) the expectations for this technology. The results showed that a pacifier might negatively affect the health of babies and toddlers. However, the new technology may prevent children from becoming used to pacifiers and protect them from any possible physical or mental issues.

Advising mothers about breastfeeding and weaning reduced pacifier use in the first year of life: a randomized trial

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of home visits for advising mothers about breastfeeding and weaning on pacifier use in the first year of life.

METHOD

A randomized field trial was conducted on mothers who gave birth within the public health system in the Brazilian city of Sao Leopoldo (intervention group = 200; controls = 300). The intervention group received the advice 10 days after the child's birth, monthly up to 6 months, at 8, 10, and 12 months, based on the 'Ten Steps for Healthy Feeding', a Brazilian national health policy for primary care, which follows WHO guidelines. Relative risk (RR) was used to estimate the effects of the intervention on the risk of using a pacifier.

RESULTS

55.4% of the children in the intervention group and 66.1% of the controls used a pacifier in the first year of life. The risk of using a pacifier was 16% lower for the intervention group (RR = 0.84; 95% CI, 0.71-0.99). A multivariable Poisson regression model showed higher adjusted risk of using a pacifier for children who had breastfeeding interrupted in the first month of life (RR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.21-1.69) and whose mothers presented higher level of depression (RR = 1.40; 95% CI, 1.17-1.66).

CONCLUSIONS

Pacifier use is highly prevalent in the population studied. The home visits for dietary advice appear to help in reducing pacifier use in infants. These findings suggest the need for public health strategies that address early advice on pacifier use to promote child oral and general health.