Yahoo News Sleeping in car seats ‘can be dangerous for babies’, scientists warn
Spending long periods asleep in car seats could harm or even kill young babies - and adults should sit in the back to check they are OK, scientists have suggested.
The problem particularly applies to very young babies, especially smaller babies, who can slump forward in seats, blocking off airways.
Researchers from Bristol University used a simulator to replicate the effects of sleeping in a car seat - studying 19 healthy infants and 21 pre-term infants as they sat in the chair.
Some of the babies had ‘significant’ drops in oxygen levels after a 30 minute ‘journey’ in the chair, which was at an upright angle of 40 degrees and vibrated like a car.
Dr Peter Fleming, of Bristol University, said: ‘There have been reports of deaths of infants who have been left in a sitting position, including in car seats – both on journeys, and when parents have used it as an alternative to a pushchair or cot for the infant to sleep in.
‘Our findings suggest this kind of thing [death] could happen, although it would be a very rare event.’
The researchers suggest that an adult could sit in the back with a baby to check that they are breathing properly - and advise caution with small or pre-term babies.
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