ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Most parents would do all they
can to protect their baby from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). New
research reveals one more measure they can take to keep their baby safe
while sleeping.
Results of a new study show having a fan on in the room where an infant
sleeps reduces the risk of SIDS by 72 percent. In rooms with warmer room
temperatures, fan use was associated with a 94 percent decreased risk.
Experts hypothesize this is because air movement in the room may decrease
the accumulation of carbon dioxide around an infant’s nose and mouth and
prevent re-breathing. Re-breathing takes place when a baby inhales his or
her own carbon dioxide, and is the main hypothesized cause of the deadly
syndrome.
“Basically, our findings point out two things: one is sleeping environment
matters,” De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D., a reproductive and perinatal
epidemiologist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and
corresponding author of the study, told Ivanhoe. “Two … if you increase the
chance of re-breathing, the risk of SIDS increases.”
The American Association of Pediatricians (AAP) currently recommends parents
do the following to prevent SIDS: avoid soft bedding for your infant, don’t
let your infant share a bed, give your infant a pacifier to sleep with, and
put your infant to sleep on his or her back.
“Now, you have one more measure you can take if you wanted to further reduce
the risk of SIDS,” Dr. Li said.
Results show using a fan decreased the risk of SIDS even in infants who
didn’t sleep on their backs, shared a bed with someone other than their
parents, or didn’t use a pacifier. Dr. Li cautions parents to not view the
fan as a replacement for any of the other AAP recommendations.
SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D.;Archives of Pediatrics
& Adolescent Medicine, 2008;162:963-968
