June 5, 2019

New Study Confirms Risks for Infants Sleeping in Sitting Devices

Annually, several hundred infant deaths occur in sitting devices, with almost two-thirds of the cases involving babies sleeping in car seats; most other deaths occurred in bouncers or swings. A new study in Pediatrics found that just one-tenth of the car seat deaths happened while the device was being used as intended (with the baby strapped into the seat while traveling in a car). The majority of deaths occurred because children were left in the cars eat to continue sleeping after arriving at a destination – an action many parents do not realize is dangerous.

This lack of parental knowledge highlights the need to discuss safe sleep, including all sleep locations, with families of infants whenever possible. Some guidance to provide to parents, recommended by AAP, includes:

  • Children who fall asleep in a car seat while being driven should remain in the car seat until they are no longer traveling.
  • If they are still asleep at this point, they should be placed in a crib or bassinet.
  • When traveling, take a portable crib or bassinet to use once you reach your destination.

To access the full text of this study, please click here. For more information on the safe sleep from the Ohio AAP, visit http://oldsite.ohioaap.org/SafeSleep or contact Hayley Southworth at hsouthworth@ohioaap.org.


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