Prone To Play

April 29 - The back-to-sleep movement for babies has been around for more than 10 years. Since it started, the number of SIDS deaths has dropped by half. But all that time spent on their backs has caused other problems for babies. Now doctors are updating the back-to-sleep campaign with some new advice.

It's sleepy time, and little Michael Joseph is on his back. But come playtime -- he's on his tummy ... Even if he doesn't like it very much. His mom Crystal Delo does everything in her power to keep her 7-week-old son safe.

"Every class we went to in the hospital, they made sure to tell us that babies sleep on their back," Crystal says.

In 1992, the Academy of Pediatrics started telling parents to put babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome.

"We had about a six-fold increase in the incidence of flat head on the back," says Kim Manwaring, M.D., a neurosurgeon at Phoenix Children's Hospital. In fact, nearly one in 50 babies has significant flattening of their heads. Usually, it's just a cosmetic issue. But some babies are so affected that they need special helmets to re-shape their heads.

It's actually babies who sleep better are more at risk for this flatness.

"You imagine a baby who wakes up and has to be consoled or fed every couple of hours; the baby is positioning frequently and doesn't develop the misshapen head," Dr. Manwaring tells Ivanhoe. He also says children who spend all day on their backs may not develop the same coordination as infants who play on their stomachs. "The new guideline we're trying to get out there to parents is supine to sleep -- that means on your back -- but prone to play."

Start with two to three minutes of tummy time three or four times a day, and gradually increase as your baby builds up strength.

It's a little tiring, but Michael Joseph is getting strong and staying safe.

While the number of deaths attributed to SIDS has dropped, the number of infants who died while sleeping on a sofa with a parent has increased. The best way for your baby to sleep is in a crib, on his back, with no pillows, blankets or stuffed animal toys.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Theresa Burke Department of Plastic Surgery The Cleveland Clinic Foundation 9500 Euclid Ave. Desk A60 Cleveland, OH 44195 burket1@ccf.org http://www.ccf.org