foodconsumer.org: Mags show images of babies in dangerous positions

Mags show images of babies in dangerous positions
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admin on 08/18/2009 03:32:00
 
By Sheilah Downey (sheilahd@foodconsumer.org)
Mainstream magazines aimed at new mothers show images of babies in unsafe
sleeping positions that can increase a child's risk for sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS), says a new study.
More than one-third of photographs in the specialty magazines show babies
sleeping on their sides or stomachs, positions that can raise SIDS risk in
infants, said the study from the Children's National Medical Center in
Washington, D.C.
Nearly two-thirds of magazine images showed infants sleeping in unsafe
environments, such as with stuffed animals, blankets or pillows, said Dr. Rachel
Moon, of the Children's Center and co-author of the study.
"The most important thing for moms to realize," said Moon, "is that what they
see in magazines may not be what's best for their baby in real life."
In 1992, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that infants sleep
on their backs to reduce the risk of SIDS, said researchers.
They later recommended that parents remove blankets, pillows, stuffed animals
and other soft objects from infant's beds.
Health officials estimated there were 4,895 SIDS-related deaths in 1992, as
opposed to 2,224 such deaths in 2004.
Though the numbers of deaths has dropped since the recommendations were issued,
SIDS remains the most common cause of infant death.
The discrepancy between what parents see on a daily basis and what they hear
from healthcare professionals could create confusion and the potential for
unsafe practices, said researchers. Studies have shown that  messages from
mainstream media were more likely to result in compliance of the AAP's
recommendations than what doctor's advise.
Researchers analyzed 28 widely-circulated magazines aimed at women 20 to 40
years old and looked for pictures that depicted infants' sleeping environments.
Of 122 pictures of infants sleeping, only 64 percent showed them sleeping on
their backs, said researchers. Of 99 photographs of sleep environments without
an infant present, only 36.4 percent were deemed safe, according to AAP
recommendations. The remainder of the photographs included blankets, pillows,
stuffed animals and other soft surfaces.
Soft and loose bedding increases the risk of SIDS by five-fold over all, said
researchers, and 21-fold when babies are also sleeping on their stomachs.
Among pictures of cribs, 85.2 percent had bumper pads, and although they were
not classified as unsafe for the purposes of the study, both firm and soft
bumper pads confer some risk to infants, according to researchers.
The study was published online in Pediatrics.