Childminders 'raise cot death risks'

Seven babies die every week from cot death in the UK

Childminders could be putting infants at risk of cot death, according to research.

A study carried out in the US found that many people who look after infants during the day were failing to follow guidelines on sudden infant death syndrome.

The study found that while many parents ensured babies slept on their backs, childminders and nannies sometimes allowed babies to sleep on their stomachs.

Research has consistently shown that the risks of cot death can be cut if babies sleep on their backs.

The authors of the study suggested that the health risk message was not getting to childminders.

Last month, the Department of Health in the UK and the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths published a document to help babysitters, nannies and childminders to reduce the risk of cot death for the babies they care for.

Parents must discuss sleep position with any caretakers of their infants

Dr Rachel Moon, Children's National Medical Centre, US

There are seven cot deaths each week on average in the UK - a total of 344 in 1998 - and the cause or causes are still not understood.

It is the largest single category of deaths in babies over one month old.

The US study found that one in five sudden infant deaths occurred while babies were being cared for by minders.

The authors described the finding as "disturbing" because so many mothers are now working outside the home.

Increased risk

Dr Rachel Moon, of the Children's Medical Center, in Washington DC, and one of the authors, suggested that children who sleep on the backs at home may be at increased risk of sudden infant death if they are placed on their front during the day.

"Many child care providers still may unaware of the importance of supine sleeping and place infants prone, when they usually sleep in the supine or side position at home, for reasons of infant comfort.

"These infants may be at increased risk because they have not yet developed the upper body muscle strength routinely seen in initially prone sleepers, which may be protective in lifting the head and clearing the airway when sleeping prone."

The authors advised parents to discuss sleep positions with childminders.

"Parents must discuss sleep position with any caretakers of their infants.

"In addition, further efforts to educate child care providers about the importance of supine sleep for infants must be ongoing."

A spokeswoman for the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths welcomed the study.

She said the organisation had been taking steps to ensure all baby carers in the UK know how to reduce the risk of cot death.

The organisation has also called for it to be made a core part of their training.

"The majority of babies who died of SIDS in American child care settings were looked after in family child care homes which tend to be unlicensed and unregulated.

"Unfortunately there is no obligation in the UK to include reducing the risk of cot death advice in baby carers' training.

"However, we know by the massive take up of FSID's training events and leaflets that many carers are taking these responsibilities seriously."

The US study is published in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.