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health
safety
staff
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Use of Dummies in Nursery PolicyAt Wild Monkeys we recognise that a dummy can be a source of comfort for a child who is settling and/or upset and may often be used as part of their sleep routine. However, we also know that overuse of dummies may affect a child’s language development as it may restrict the mouth movements needed for speech. It can also have potential impact on teeth alignment, oral hygiene and can affect social interactions as a barrier to communication with peers and adults.
At Wild Monkeys we will: Discuss the use of dummies with parents/carers as part of the baby’s care plan. Only offer dummies for comfort if a child is really upset (if they are settling or transitioning to another area) and /or as part of their sleep routine. Store dummies in individual named boxes to prevent cross contamination and prevent dummies being misplaced. Immediately clean/sterilise any dummy that is dropped or touched by another child. Dispose of any dummies that become damaged or unsafe to use. When discouraging the dummy, practitioners will: Explain to the child where their dummy is stored. Comfort the child and if appropriate explain why they don’t need their dummy at this point. Distract the child with other activities and ensure they are settled before leaving them to play. Offer other methods of comfort such as a teddy, blanket or toy. Explain to the child they can have their dummy when they go home or at sleep time. We would like parents to encourage parents to share this process with us and if possible, continue weaning from the dummy at home. Your child is at the heart of everything we do and we appreciate your support with this important step.
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