This study will look at whether there is a relationship between how babies are fed, whether they suck a dummy/hand and how they develop speech.

Background:

In the UK every year around 48,000 children aged 2-5 years are referred to NHS Speech & Language Therapy (SLT) services with difficulties using the right sounds in their talking. This is known as speech sound disorders (SSD). This is the largest population seen by Speech and Language Therapists and costs the NHS about £24 million per year.

Children with SSD are more at risk of mental health problems and difficulties making relationships with those around them. They are also more likely to struggle with learning at school and be involved with the criminal justice system at some point in their early lives. When a baby is born parents make different choices about feeding their baby. Some breastfeed, some bottle-feed and some use a mixture of both. Some babies also like to have a dummy, while others suck their hand and some don't suck anything. Some studies have found that breastfeeding is linked to better language and learning in later childhood, while others have found that dummy sucking has the opposite effect.

However, the effect that different types of feeding have on speech development has not been looked at in as much detail.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 2;0-5;6 on current speech and language therapy clinical caseloads in Hampshire (Solent NHS Trust) who have a diagnosis of speech sound disorder.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Genetic Disorder (including Downs Syndrome and other identified syndromes) Other congenital anomaly (e.g Cerebral Palsy, Global Developmental Delay) Diagnosed Learning Disability Permanent Hearing Loss (Sensorineural) Cleft lip and/or palate and/or submucous cleft palate Premature birth (before 37 completed weeks gestation) English as second or additional language

Children aged 2;0-5;6 on current speech and language therapy clinical caseloads in Hampshire (Solent NHS Trust) who have a diagnosis of speech sound disorder.