Aug 24, 2009 6:00 pm US/Eastern
Car Seats Can Lower Infants Oxygen Levels
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
There's no doubt that newborns should be securely fastened in an infant car seat while traveling, but many parents leave their babies in the car seat while at home or in a restaurant or even on walks, usually to keep the baby asleep.
One study found that some parents keep their babies in a car seat for up to 14 hours a day.
But Dr. Bernard Kinane, a pediatric pulmonologist at Mass General Hospital for Children, says that's not such a good idea.
He and his colleagues monitored 200 newborns while placed in a hospital crib, a car bed, and a car seat. They found that the babies in the car seats and the car beds had oxygen levels significantly lower that those placed in a crib.
"The study found that in a subset of healthy newborns that their oxygen levels were decreased," says Dr. Kinane.
One of the problems is the position of the baby's head which can compress the airway.
Another problem is the harness which can put pressure on a baby's pliable chest. The concern is that prolonged periods with lower than normal oxygen levels could affect a baby's developing brain.
"The first year is a big learning period for babies," Dr. Kinane explains, "So we're just a tad concerned that the learning may not be as good as we would like."
Keep your baby snug in a car seat when you're driving around, but when you're outside of the car, take her out... or at least loosen the harness so she can breathe a little easier.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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