Get Bumpers Out Of Cribs, Says Pediatric Group

Parents who use a bumper pad in their baby’s crib, take it out! That’s according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The AAP’s recommendation comes after studies have shown that bumper pads are more hazardous than thought as they pose a risk of suffocation, strangulation and entrapment.

The academy’s new guidelines also state there is no evidence the bumper pads prevent injuries.

Every five years, the AAP sets guidelines to create a safer sleeping environment for babies and to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. The last time the AAP came out with a policy statement on SIDS in 2005, it recommended using bumpers that were ?thin, firm, well secured, and not pillowlike.”

Cheryl Darnell, co-founder of SIDS America in Colorado Springs, said the new recommendation is a long time coming.

“Anything that can compromise a baby’s breathing, including crib bumpers, is a potential risk hazard,” said Darnell.

She knows all too well the heartbreak of losing a child.

“Billy died at 5 months old of SIDS. It was not due to a bumper, but we believe a blanket was a factor in his death,” she said.

Darnell said she understands why some parents still use bumpers.

“The orginial purpose for bumpers was because the slates were wider a part and baby’s heads were getting caught, and that is a potential danger,” she said.

However, new regulations have made the slates closer together.

“If a leg or arm gets stuck through the slates, they’ll (babies) scream and cry, but I’ll take a broken bone any day over the life of my son,” said Darnell.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has investigated dozens of deaths where bumpers appeared to play a role, but none of those cases have been proven, according to the AAP.

Officials said in light of the deaths that have been reported, it’s better to just have them out.

The city of Chicago and the state of Maryland have already banned the sale of crib bumpers.

For more information on SIDS prevention and research visit the American Academy of Pediatrics’ at http://www.healthychildcare.org/sids.html.

To learn more about SIDS America in Colorado Springs visit http://sidsamerica.org.