As a Gen X parent, I've had SIDS prevention drilled into my brain. Always put the baby down to sleep on his back, keep blankets and toys away from a sleeping baby, use a firm mattress, etc. When Isaac and Caleb were very young, I worried a lot about SIDS. After all, both of my kids would roll right over and sleep on their stomachs or sides as soon as I put them down (starting around 4 months).
But the latest research has found something interesting:
"What we found in this study is that if an infant had a fan that was used in the sleeping room, the infant's risk of SIDS was reduced by 72 percent compared to no fan in the room," said study senior author Dr. De-Kun Li.
Good to know! For more on SIDS, check out this Parenting magazine article. That's a very interesting read, particularly about how much the risk of SIDS goes up when the child is in someone else's care.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Good to know! That SIDS stuff is terrifying!
Not so fast! Yep, that study did come out, but it had some flaws to it. A well ventilated room is good for baby. But, while the study is consistent with information that we already know, it doesn't ask some important questions. What type of fan? How far away from baby? What was the room temperature? What this a smoking household? Why do more african american infants die than caucasian?
It's nice information to know but certainly not as well researched as smoking risks or sleep position or soft bedding. So, turn on the ceiling fan in your room when the baby is sleeping, but don't forget all the other tools that we know provide safe sleep for baby.
Post a Comment