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Use of seating devices in infants too young to sit
1Department of Pediatrics, Tripler Army Medical Center, MCHK-PE, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.
Insights
Infant seating devices are common in homes with young babies. However, prolonged use of these devices for infants unable to sit unsupported may pose risks.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Child Development
- Consumer Product Safety
Background:
- Infant seating devices are widely available in households with young children.
- Concerns exist regarding the appropriate use and potential risks associated with these devices for immature infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the availability and usage frequency of infant seating devices in homes.
- To investigate the duration of use for infants not yet able to sit unsupported.
Main Methods:
- An observational study was conducted.
- A questionnaire was administered to parents of infants under 5 months old at a Well-Baby Clinic.
Main Results:
- All surveyed households had infant seating devices.
- 94% of 187 infants used these devices for at least 30 minutes daily.
- Average daily use was 5.7 hours, with a range of 0 to 16 hours.
Conclusions:
- Infant seating devices are prevalent and extensively used outside of vehicles.
- Extended use in young infants may lead to adverse developmental outcomes.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of early and prolonged seating device use.
Objectives:
To determine how frequently seating devices are available in homes with small infants and how often they are used for infants who are too young to sit erect and unsupported.
Design:
Observational study using a questionnaire administered to a cohort of parents of well infants younger than 5 months.
Setting:
Well-Baby Clinic, Department of Pediatrics, Tripler Army Medical Center, a tertiary care center serving the population of military dependents on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Results:
Infant seating devices were available in the homes of all of the infants whose parents completed the questionnaire during the study. Of 187 infants, 176 (94%) spent 30 minutes or longer in seating devices each day. The mean (tSD) time spent each day in seating devices was 5.7 +/- 3.5 hours and ranged from 0 to 16 hours.
Conclusions:
Seating devices were widely available for use in the care of the infants. Car seats that double as infant carriers and infant seats likely are being used extensively outside of automobiles. Prolonged use of infant seating devices with infants who are too young to sit unsupported may have several potential adverse consequences.
