As a parent of a child who has recently mastered the art of climbing in and out of his crib and made napping an extreme challenge, I was not surprised to learn that about 10,000 infants and toddlers are hurt in crib, play pen, and pack n’ play accidents each year. I came across this interesting Associated Press Health & Science announcement by Lindsey Tanner based on the first nationwide analysis of emergency room treatment for these injuries.
I know one dad that said his two year old son stays in his crib all night, but when he gets up a little too early in the morning on occasion and asks for “daddy”…the father shouts for the boy to climb out and hop into bed with him. After sharing this recent research study, this concerned dad said he would change his tune based on the danger of climbing out. Especially, based on this 19 year study (1990 – 2008), “Most injuries were from falls in toddlers between ages 1 and 2 – generally old enough to attempt climbing out of a crib or playpen.”
The article suggests a few key points to reduce crib related injuries:
The study’s Smith said parents can help prevent injuries by lowering the crib’s mattress when children grow tall enough to lean over the rails, or, with drop-side cribs, not leaving children unattended when the side is lowered. Children should be moved to toddler beds when they reach 35 inches tall, he said. But Smith stressed that sturdy cribs are the safest place to sleep for smaller infants and toddlers. They should be placed on their backs, with no padding or pillows.
To read more about this research study, check out the medical journal article in Pediatrics.
Here is to wishing that none of our readers have had a child affected by a crib related injury and providing you with a recent research study that might scare you enough to be a little more careful when it comes to your child’s crib….
thanks for your post, I’m going to have to share this with my husband!!