Study Says Infant Car Seats Increase SIDS Risk

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tl01

New member
Re: Interesting Article

Sorry.. I'm confused by the Helena comment... thought I would post the text in case the link is not working right (though it is on my computer).:D

Infants at risk of death while seated
Sun, 22 Jul 2007 10:56:38
Source: Agencies

Very young babies are at a slightly higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome when sitting in a car seat or other seating device.

A new study analyzed all sudden unexpected deaths occurring among babies up to 12 months of age in Quebec, Canada, between 1991 and 2000.

During this time period, 534 babies died, but the cause of death was fully investigated in only 508 of the cases.

In 99 of the deaths, the cause of death was eventually determined, but for 409 babies, the cause of death remained unexplained.

Seventeen (3.3 percent) of the babies who died were seated, predominantly -- but not exclusively -- in car seats. Ten of these deaths were unexplained.

While premature babies were not at increased risk, babies younger than one month old were almost four times as likely to die suddenly while seated, compared to the older babies. And babies under one month old whose deaths were unexplained were more than seven times as likely to die while seated, compared to older babies with unexplained deaths.

The researchers cautioned that the rate of deaths among seated babies is still small, and there's no question about the safety of using car seats for baby. Instead, it is important to take extra care when dealing with very young babies in any type of seat.
 

tl01

New member
Re: Interesting Article

I was especially confused b/c my niece from Helena, MT has beens staying with us for the past 2 weeks and I've been hearing a lot about it.
 

cryswilkins

New member
Re: Interesting Article

Hmmmm the more that I read about SIDS the more that I think that it is really more of a chemical imbalance than a situational thing. ie: blankets, crib bumpers, paci's. I know several Moms that assume that sleeping in the infant car seat is "safer" than a crib. This may prove that it is not. It also supports that sometimes there is nothing that you can do to prevent SIDS. Defiantly food for thought.
 

tl01

New member
Re: Interesting Article

It seems as though the risk is pretty small but I was surprised when our GI doc said to have DS sleep in his seat b/c of his reflux. We ended up getting him a sling and a wedge to sleep on instead which really helped. I actually read somewhere that sleeping slightly elevated could help with SIDS related risk. However, as the PP said, I have also ready about SIDS not usually being a situational problem but rather an underlying medical issue.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
Re: Interesting Article

Transport Canada has issued statements indicating that child safety seats are for the car and shouldn't be used as a seat inside the house because of the increased risk of airway obstruction when a young infant spends extended amounts of time in the seat.

Most seats don't sit at a 45 degree angle when they're in the house and not in the car, and I think in most cases a child sleeping in a car seat in the house isn't checked on as often as they would be in the car. The importance of a 45 degree angle is precisely to prevent the airway from being obstructed.

What this article doesn't mention - and it's probably because the article is more about the study than anything else, is that infant carriers are not meant to be cribs or anything similar. There are a number of agencies advising against this practice - maybe this is one of the reasons. (I think AAP recommends against extended periods in an infant seat because of the risk of head molding. I don't remember the technical name, but the type where they will sometimes prescribe a helmet for the baby to wear.)

Anyways, I guess all that to say, that as long as parents aren't using infant carriers as cribs, then the risk is pretty minimal. Parents of preemies are told to limit the amount of time even in the car, and this is wise advice to parents of newborns too. Unfortunately it's only parents of preemies that are given time restrictions of the max time babe should be in there.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Re: Interesting Article

A somewhat recent Medical Journal update for physicians described a longitudinal study showing the risk of SIDS is less for babies who suckle themselves to sleep -- either with breast for pacifyer (but not bottle because of tooth decay issue). This again supports the theory that SIDS is a result of irregular breathing patterns & again discourages CIO which leads to more irregular, difficult breathing: hyperventilating then falling asleep from exhaustion....

Manufacturers also often discourage keeping infants in their carseats except transport to/from vehicles or during errands, but I know of Peds. suggesting parents let babies with refulx sleep in carseats because of the incline (IMO, they should be suggesting a foam wedge under the sheet or maybe the swing without movement or something, but then again a lot of Peds. say it's OK to turn FF even before the minimum *UGH*)
 

ThreeBeans

New member
Re: Interesting Article

It's been proven that babies who are left in infant carriers for long periods of time have decreased oxygen saturation levels (the position cramps the lungs). So an increased risk of SIDS makes perfect sense.


I had read the oxygenation study when my son was an infant so he slept in his infant carrier a lot :(


This is just one of the many reasons I am against the "Carseats as baby furniture" phenomenon. Carseats should be used in cars. Period. When dd was a baby, the Snugride never even came out of the car...
 

elle7715

Member
Re: Interesting Article

Makes perfect sense to me. Healthy adults and children will find a new position if they aren't getting enough oxygen. One of the recent theories is that babies who die of SIDS lack the trigger that tells them to move and get more/more oxygenated air. Since sitting in the car seat can obstruct their airway it makes sense that preemies or very young babies don't have the strength to open their airway.
I've let DS finish a nap in his car seat after we carry him in but when he was first home I constantly worried about him when I was driving.
 

arly1983

New member
I have often wondered how the high percentage of IMproperly installed carseats have played a big role in some situations. In the last 2.5 yrs, the only infant carseats I have seen at a correct 45 degree angle has been 3....just 3 and I know lots of people with babies.

I know I didn't have a 45 degree angle when we brought Jackson home from the hospital 2.5 yrs ago. I can remember sitting in the back with him, holding his head so it didn't flop foward. After I googled it later, I found out about the correct angle and got my first wake up call to read the entire manual.

I just wonder how improperly installed infant seats play a role in this...
 

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