PEDIATRICS Vol. 70 No. 4 October 1982, pp. 657
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Is This Happening?

Robert H. Friedman MD1

1 Department of Pediatrics, Washington University, School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110

Nipples stuffed with cotton are used by pediatricians, hospital personnel, and patients to prevent air swallowing. I would like to draw the profession's attention to an article written in the 50' s by Dr Alex Gerber, "Gastrointestinal Distention in Infants" (J Pediatr 46:67, 1955). It showed quite conclusively that sucking does not cause swallowed air in infants. Quite to the contrary, ingestion of milk and perhaps crying are the cause of infantile gastric distention. I make a plea that nipples no longer be stuffed with bacteria-laden cotton and used as pacifiers.