Infant sleep and the influence of a pacifier.

Background: Divergent opinions are found in the literature regarding the use of a pacifier. During the longitudinal follow-up of children, health professionals must take a position on this issue and offer clear information regarding the pros and cons of pacifier use so that parents/caregivers can feel comfortable enough to make their own decision.

Aim: Evaluate the beneficial effects of pacifier use on the sleep quality of infants.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted at public day care centres in the city of Recife, Brazil. Interviews were held with 157 mothers of infants aged five to 13 months. Data were collected on the mother's and child's profiles. Child's sleep quality was determined using the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire.

Results: The results demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the group that used a pacifier and the group that did not use a pacifier with regard to sleep variables of the child.

Conclusions: When deciding whether or not to permit pacifier use, the infant's sleep quality should not be considered a critical factor.