Breast/Bottle Feeding and Pacifier usage: When should it stop

Lots of clients come in and wonder why speech pathologists care when a child stopped using a bottle, stopped breast feeding, stopped using a pacifier and other oral centered behaviors. Prolonged breast/bottle feeding perpetuates the anterior motion of the tongue within the oral cavity and can influence oral facial muscle imbalance, adversely affecting feeding and swallowing skills as well as expressive speech skills.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be solely breastfed until six months of age and then breastfed in tandem with solid foods. The American Academy of Pediatrics has also stated that there are potential complications of pacifier use, particularly with prolonged use.