AAP Guidelines: Baby products
Did you know that SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and accidental deaths from strangulation or suffocation account for well over 3500 infant deaths in the U.S.? The irony here is that despite a major decrease in the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its recommendation in 1992, this decline has plateaued in recent years. Concurrently, other causes of sudden unexpected infant death that occur during sleep (sleep-related deaths), including suffocation, asphyxia, and entrapment, and ill-defined or unspecified causes of death have increased in incidence since the early 2000s.
Use Caution When Buying Products
Use caution when a product claims to reduce the risk of SIDS. Wedges, positioners, special mattresses and specialized sleep surfaces have not been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS, according to the AAP.
Do not rely on home heart or breathing monitors to reduce the risk of SIDS. If you have questions about using these monitors for other health conditions, talk with your pediatrician.
There isn’t enough research on bedside or in-bed sleepers. The AAP can’t recommend for or against these products because there have been no studies that have looked at their effect on SIDS or if they increase the risk of injury and death from suffocation.
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