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A community-based survey of infant sleep position. Pediatric Research in Office Practices Network
J B Chessare1, C E Hunt, C Bourguignon
1Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, USA.
Insights
Infant sleep position recommendations have shifted towards safer practices. However, a significant number of infants remain placed in the prone position, highlighting ongoing challenges in adherence to safe sleep guidelines.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Infant Safety
Background:
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a pivotal position statement in 1992 recommending supine infant sleep positioning.
- Concerns regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) have driven changes in infant sleep practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess infant sleep positions before and after the 1992 AAP guidelines.
- To identify factors influencing infant sleep position choices.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey conducted in pediatric offices.
- Involved parents of infants under 7 months of age.
- 852 caregivers completed the survey.
Main Results:
- 54% of infants were placed in the prone sleep position.
- In families with multiple children, 75% of youngest siblings were placed prone at the same age.
- No association found between sleep position and gender, race, income, maternal smoking, or birth weight.
Conclusions:
- Infant sleep positioning has shown a positive shift in the desired direction post-1992 AAP statement.
- Despite progress, a majority of infants (54%) are still placed in the prone sleep position.
Objective:
To determine prevalent infant sleep positions before and after the American Academy of Pediatrics position statement of 1992 and to identify determinants of sleep position.
Design:
cross-sectional survey.
Setting:
private and hospital-sponsored general pediatric offices.
Participants:
parents of infants younger than 7 months of age.
Results:
Eight hundred fifty-two care givers completed surveys during the 5-week study. Fifty-four percent of the study infants were put to sleep in the prone position. In 416 families with more than one child, however, 75% of the youngest siblings had been put to sleep in the prone position at the same age. Gender, race, family income, maternal smoking, and birth weight were not associated with choice of sleep position.
Conclusions:
There has been a change in infant sleep positioning in the desired direction since the American Academy of Pediatrics statement. However, 54% of the study infants were still being put to sleep prone.