Fan in baby’s room lowers risk of SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is the leading cause of death among children less than a year old, and that’s why pediatricians and researchers are adamant in getting the message out to put baby on his back during sleep.

Death of these babies, at 2,500 annually, is both sudden and unexplained, but there are steps parents can do to prevent or lower the risk of SIDS. Aside from “back to sleep”, parents are told to use a firm sleep surface and keep soft toys and blankets out of the crib, avoid overheating the baby and put the baby in separate but close sleeping arrangement (i.e., instead of co-sleeping).

Now a new study finds another means of reducing the risk of SIDS by using a fan inside the baby’s room. The results are overwhelming in the positive –

using a fan cut the risk of SIDS by 72%. The use of a fan in a room with a temperature higher than 69 degrees Fahrenheit was associated with a 94% decreased risk of SIDS compared with no fan use.

Of course, these results have to be replicated, so consult your pediatrician if you plan on using a fan during the coming cold season.  And there is no substitute for putting baby on his back during sleep.