Infants placed in unsafe sleep settings, study finds
09/11/2011
Many parents are unwittingly placing their infants in unsafe children's beds and other potentially hazardous settings, a survey has found.
The University of Michigan's CS Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health found that sudden unexpected infant deaths (SUIDs) have risen due to unsafe sleep habits.
It found that 89 per cent of parents believe placing an infant on their back in bed is a safe sleep position, which is what experts usually recommend.
However, 40 per cent of the same group said they think it is safe for an infant to sleep in the same bed as another person, which is strongly advised against.
"Our results indicate that large subgroups of parents are placing infants in sleep positions that put them at risk for suffocation or smothering," commented Lisa Markman, assistant professor and associate director of the hospital's Child Protection Team.
She added that the study had been triggered by the recent increase in (SUIDs).
Posted by Michael Ewing
