Should Harper Beckham really still be using a dummy at the age of three?

 

Victoria Beckham was yesterday accused of stunting her daughter’s speech and putting her teeth at risk of damage by still letting her use a dummy.

At three years old, Harper Beckham is beyond the age that most health experts would advise giving a child a pacifier.

Dummies are intended to help settle a restless child at bedtime and are recommended only for small babies, as prolonged use can cause speech impairments and wonky teeth.

However some parents use them to stop a child crying, or because it has become a habit.

Yesterday Mrs Beckham, 40, was pictured emerging from a shop in Los Angeles and carrying her daughter, who was sucking on her pink dummy.

The toddler turned three in July and is well beyond the usual recommended cut-off point of 12 months.

Last night pregnancy expert Clare Byam-Cook said that Mrs Beckham was putting her daughter’s wellbeing at risk.

‘Most people agree that prolonged use of the dummy can damage the teeth, by pushing them forwards and getting them misaligned,’ she said.

‘It can also affect speech development, because so many mothers stick a dummy in their toddler’s mouth just to shut the toddler up. The toddler just sits there sucking away on its dummy and doesn’t talk or do anything.’

She added: ‘If a mother allows her toddler to have a dummy in her mouth for large parts of the day, she will definitely stunt her speech development.

 Source: Daily Mail