Hello!

My 3 year old ASD daughter still has a dummy for sleeping but is constantly waking up crying because she’s lost the dummy and can’t find it…I’ve been giving serious consideration to those dummy clips but am scared it could choke her during the night…any info would be great!


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  • AAP reassures parents that “in general, sucking habits in children to the age of three years are unlikely to cause any long-term problems.” The report does, however, warn against letting babies sleep or nap with a pacifier clip attached to their clothing (it’s a strangulation risk). But maybe when you have a short chain /rope attached to the neck with the dummy on the end it should be safe when it’s not longer than 15cm or so.


  • I don’t think they are safe – just load up on a number of dummies and scatter them around the bed – she will surely locate one?
    It’s hard to do but my two year old was making her teeth crooked from dummy, so we had to give it up


  • Does your little girl actually suck on her dummy or only use it as a “security blanket”? The only concern I would have is if she bites it and gets a piece in her mouth she may swallow it. If you want to wean her off the dummy maybe clip it to a soft toy that she takes to bed for awhile first. I would also be worried about her getting the clip off and putting it her mouth and choking. At the very least she could break her teeth chewing on it.


  • If in doubt don’t do it, as yes there is a choking risk. Perhaps it may be time to wean her off the dummy.


  • Id say as long as it’s not too long then it should be fine


  • a hard one, safety is a priority. Can you try to break her out of the habit by taking the dummy from her once she has fallen asleep. Can you replace the dummy with a soft doll that she can take to bed and cuddle. Help her to choose a suitable doll. Maybe say now she is older she may like to take the doll to bed to cuddle and put to sleep. These are only suggestions, others have good ideas too. Good luck.


  • I would take it off just to be on the safe side..


  • If it helps her sleep it’s worth it .Maybe have a sound moniter in each room & check before you sleep .


  • im sure with her being three she would be fine :)


  • I would position it on her clothes lower so it only just reaches her and has no way it can catch up near her face. I can’t imagine it would hurt her. If you are too worried though use one that has velcro to attach it and if she got it caught it would just come off?


  • It should be fine, it isn’t long enough to be able to choke her so it would be a great help in not distressing her.


  • I agree if it can’t wrap around her neck she’ll be fine.


  • Don’t risk it, as it could get tangled around the baby in sleep


  • If its not long enough to wrap around her neck I personally dont see a problem although it may be uncomfortable.


  • Hi Ritareet…thanks for the info just one clarification my daughter is 3 years old not 3 months old she does have some delays due to the autism but mostly does go looking for her dummy at night but sometimes it fall off the bed or gets in her blankets which distresses her!


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