CPSC and FDA Warn Parents to Stop Using Sleep Positioners

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially denounced the use of sleep positioners for infants. This announcement was released in the fall of 2010 and warns parents against using sleep positioners, suggesting that according to current safety data, they may do more harm than good.

Sleep positioners are simply foam or fabric devices with raised sides intended to keep a young infant from rolling over during sleep. Because experts recommend that babies sleep on their backs to help reduce the risk of SIDS, sleep positioners are designed to make sure infants don't accidentally end up on their stomachs during sleep, or else roll around the crib possibly rolling into the sides. Many parents have been using sleep positioners to help ease their minds against SIDS, but now the CPSC and the FDA believe that these sleep positioners may actually have a tragic opposite effect.

Over the past 13 years there have been 12 reports of infant death of young infants between 1 and 4 months at the hands of a sleep positioner. The infants wiggled their way down into the sleep positioner so that it was around their heads. They then rolled over onto a side and suffocated against the edge of the sleep positioner. This possibility is the reason that most safety agencies and medical professionals warn against the use of crib bumpers as well. It seems that sleep positioners are now known to have similar risks.

The CPSC urges parents to stop using sleep positioners immediately to provide safer sleep for their infants. Major baby retailers such as Babies R Us, Target, and Wal-mart still sell sleep positioners, though the variety and styles have certainly changed since this announcement. When searching for "sleep positioner" online, most classic sleep positioners (simple devices with raised sides) are no longer available, while the products that do appear are mostly wedges designed to help babies with acid reflux get better sleep. While manufacturers are taking note of this new safety warning, many parents are still using the sleep positioner they used for an older child several years ago, or are purchasing sleep positioners at consignment stores or yard sales.

The research and recommendations surrounding infant safety, particularly crib safety and the prevention of SIDS, is constantly changing and being updated. It is up to parents to do the research and follow current safety guidelines to provide their little ones with the safest environment possible. For now, sleep positioners are a no-no so be sure to inform the new parents in your life against this infant safety hazard.

Source: U.S Consumer Safety Product Commission

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml10/10358.html