My toddler is 2. She still has a dummy. I think she has it quite a lot by my family don't think she does. I now only give it to her when she asks (i.e when tired/sleeping or wanting two minutes quiet time)

She isn't talking but says lots of one off words (about 20 different words)...can communicate very effectively in other ways...

My health visitor says that the dummy is preventing her from developing her speech...Any experience of this? Any suggestions?

Its true! My daughters speech improved dramatically within days of taking her dummy away form her!

Its true! My daughters speech improved dramatically within days of taking her dummy away form her!

Yep i agree with Jabber! My niece is 2 and she would hardly say anything, just the usual Mum & Dad etc but when we took the dummy off her she completely changed and now we cant shut her up :hihi: xx

all 3 of my children have had a dummy from birth to there 2nd birthday (dummy fairy) and there is no problem with there speech. number three is just in the process of getting rid on his now but hes even better at talking than the other two were when they were his age. If you talk to your child clearly he will copy you. if you read then that is also good for developing sreech. but a 2+ year old shoudnt need a dummy really. get rid after their 2nd birthday.

I'm glad this has being brought up, after having numerous discussions on other parent forums i go on where there were mixed reviews.
I personally see nothing wrong with a child of 2 having a dummy when they want some 'me' time as to them its comfort, my sister had her dummy for sleeping way after starting school and her speech is fine, always has been as are her teeth.
My mum always says that children develop at their own rate, for example my brother could talk really well by the time he was 1 but he didn't walk until he was 19 months old where as i could walk by the time i was 1 but didn't really talk until i was 2 (and i didn't have a dummy at all.)
People today are too quick to judge others when they hear about a child who can't do this and that by whatever age, my son is almost 18 months old, can walk, run etc but he doesn't really want to talk which is fine by me, i'm not going to push him into being a 'brainy' child, he will talk when he wants to, he communicates with me in different ways. He only has his dummy when he sleeps or when he's feeling poorly and needs some comfort to have a nap.
Health visitors discouraged dummies from birth which explains why yours has said its affecting her speech, people are simply for dummies or not!
Liose - take her dummy away from her when you feel ready to, perhaps do the dummy fairy at Christmas time, get her to leave her dummy for Santa in a special place and perhaps leave her an extra gift in its place.
I don't agree in taking their dummies off them if they still need it and scream for it.
Sorry this is a long reply, just my views.

Well my daughter had a lot of problems with her speech right up to the age of three, her Ss were terrible, so we had her hearing checked on advice from the doc and she was ok, but her speech degenerated so badly that the specialist said it sounded as if she had a cleft lip or palate, and suggested we threw away the dummy.

In days there were improvements.

Ok - so even though she doesn't have it a lot, I am aware of the fact that she is 2 and start to question if she should have it...the problem is we are moving house and have a new baby coming and I feel at the moment the last thing I need to do is take away her comforter as she will need all the familiarity she can get. I too was of the opinion she will talk when she wants but as time goes on and I look and listen to other 2 year olds (which I KNOW you shouldn't) - I just wonder why she isn't talking...I talk to her all the time, we read a lot, I think she is highly active and stimulated with lots of role play...It's just difficult...But the cold turkey and taking it off her I do feel would be too much.

We said to our little girl that she would be grown up if she didnt have a dummy.
She put it into the bin herself.

We said to our little girl that she would be grown up if she didnt have a dummy.
She put it into the bin herself.

Aww bless her xx

Aww bless her xx
Bless her? Shes a damn psycho!

Just like her daddy:D

I'm glad someone brought this up, my girls have dummies and my intention is to have a visit from the dummy fairy to get rid of them sometime in the next year.

I agree its true but would not like to be in your shoes if you try to take it away at 2 we gave my sons to afther christmas when he wa 3 1/2 i wouldn't have dreamed getting rid any earlier than that

Perhaps it's worth limiting your child's time with a dummy first, rather than removing it all in one go.

Cosycub has a dummy, but we have only ever used it for bedtimes, nap times, and in direst teething moments when he's threatening to chew off some important part of me/his daddy/the dog. That gives him all the time he needs to practise his language skills - which he does loudly and constantly - but doesn't remove a source of comfort from his life should he need it, especially as he's not so clever at keeping hold of a teething ring (so many other important things to get your little paws on at that age, lol).

Obviously at some point it will have to go, and I'm hoping it won't be a trauma...but because it's never been used as a constant companion for him, I'm hoping it won't be too hard.

I do dislike seeing children with a dummy stuck in their mouth constantly, and as much as I hate to join the finger-wagging brigade, I think there's a lot to be said for limiting their use...but as with all things, moderation and common sense should rule, as should dealing with children as individuals, with individual needs and coming to things in their own time.

There is nothing wrong with a dummy, and at times I they were a blessing. But as long as they are for sleeping and nap times thats fine. Plenty of children without dummies have speech problems too. There is no reason for a toddler to walk around with one in its mouth all day though.

I was worried about my son (20 months), health visitor told me off for letting him use the dummy! Babies should only use them untill the age of 1.

So i stopped letting him have the dummy all the time and he's talking!! Seriously it works, he still has it at night or during the day for a nap or if he's upset but thats it.

He now says dady, mumy, great, juice, happy this is under a week!! I wish i'd taken it out before :hihi:

Its good to hear that most of you feel dummy`s don`t have a long term effect on baby`s speech. Before having our 3 month old we were determined he wouldn`t have one, however now he is here its a different story. Its great to have something to give him to soothe away his horrid little gripey fits. After reading up too, apparently its better for them to have a dummy than to suck their thumbs (which he did, although he attempted to insert his entire little fist into his mouth) as of course a dummy can be taken away when its time to ween them off it.

Personally, I hate to hear a child trying to speak round a dummy - I dont think it will hinder their learning to speak, it is just so much easier when they haven't got a gob full of dummy!
However - as was mentioned above - all children are different!