|
MEDIA RELEASE
KEEPING BABIES SAFE THIS CHRISTMAS - EXAMINING ALL THE
PERSPECTIVES
RESPONSES TO NEW RESEARCH MANIPULATIVE AND MISLEADING FOR PARENTS
A recent article regarding “new asthma research” [i] and the responses to it, raises yet more speculation regarding child sleep safety says Miriam van Gisbergen, child sleep safety consultant and Director of SafeTSleep™ International.
Safe T Sleep™ argue that several generic, inexpensive good old fashioned methods work, many still used in Europe and Japan. These methods include vacuuming, beating, airing and placing mattresses in the sun with regular turning. This eliminates most house dust mites, says Ms van Gisbergen. Sunlight also helps kill mildew, fungi, bacteria, and eliminates unwanted moisture from mattresses.
The significance of house dust mites (HDM) for allergic respiratory diseases worldwide was first published in 1967. Since then, it has been reported frequently that the HDM play a role in both asthma development and symptoms.[ii]
Simply wrapping a tiny baby in a swaddling cloth, minimizes risk. It is also important to note that the Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap product has been in New Zealand, Australia and parts of Europe much earlier than mattress wrapping for example. Obviously education and other useful products have played a significant role. These variables are not sited in any of the research. Since 1992 over 200,000 babies have slept safely in a Safe T Sleep™ Sleepwrap®, a unique baby/child-protective swaddling band.[iii] There have been nil reported cot deaths or accidents. The Sleepwrap® also helps promote more restful sleep from the gentle but secure swaddling effect and the prevention of accidental deaths, falls from cots and beds. It also helps prevent and correct the incidence of flat/deformed heads.[iv]
Hospital Clinical trials have also proven Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap® to be ‘a useful adjunct in maintaining a selected sleeping position’.[v] Therefore a baby safely swaddled in a Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap is prevented from turning face down into a mattress and/or creeping into a dangerous position therefore eliminating the risk of positional asphyxia.[vi]
Since 1992, many hospitals and daycare centres are successfully using the Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap to aid safety and comfort for babies and adults’ peace of mind.
Ms van Gisbergen agrees that parents are being denied ‘full’ information. However, some product manufacturers’ claims may be manipulative and it is important to note that recommendations and suggestions to parents need to be backed up with auditable sales and statistical data.
Safe T Sleep’s preference is for parents to choose natural fibers for babies bedding, minimizing humidity, and maximizing air-flow and comfort.
It seems evident that it is increasingly important for Ministries of Health and Education, Plunket, University Researchers to continue to give and widen their sound, generic, objective advice. It is equally important that parents receive objective advice on the variety of options available on the open market to ‘aid’ the safety of babies and for them to be supported in their choice.
[i] Mitchell, E A, et al, Risk factors for asthma at 3.5 and 7 years of age, Clinical & Experimental Allergy 2000; 37 (12), 1747–1755.
[ii] New Zealand GP (11 February 1998), page 20. Chan-Yueng, M, et al, A Randomized Controlled Study on the Effectiveness of a Multifaceted Intervention Program in the Primary Prevention of Asthma in High-Risk Infants, Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2000; 154: 657-663. Allergen levels in beds where families had encased the mattress were 0.22 microgram of allergen per gram of dust, as compared with 1.18 microgram of allergen per gram of dust for families who did not encase the mattress.
[iii] Since 1992 over 200,000 babies have slept safely in a Safe T Sleep™ Sleepwrap®, a unique baby/child-protective swaddling band. There have been nil reported cot deaths or accidents. Over the past 12 years the New Zealand nationwide cot death rate has fallen by 67%.
[iv] Medical Paper on PWS http://www.safetsleep.com/addresses_flat_head.pdf
[v] Published Hospital Clinical Trials – NZ Med J September 2003; Vol 116: Number 1181 http://www.safetsleep.com/medical.html
[vi] SIDS and positional asphyxia – Dr Shirley Tonkin OBE,MB ChB, DCH, MCCM – Ref: Midwifery News, March 2005
|
