Can home monitors help prevent SIDS?
Much research has been done to investigate the effectiveness of monitors in preventing SIDS. In the 1970’s and early 1980’s, it was thought that monitoring had promise in identifying infants at risk for SIDS and signaling caregivers when infants have life-threatening events that may proceed to SIDS. In September of 1986, the NICHD held a consensus conference titled, “Infantile Apnea and Home Monitoring.” After examining all available research, the consensus panel determined that monitoring is effective only in some cases to manage infantile apnea. For the normal newborn, the risks, disadvantages, and costs of monitoring outweigh the potential of identifying infants at risk for SIDS. There are many home monitors now on the market that claim to help prevent SIDS. It is important to note that while these devices may be helpful at monitoring sound and activity in your baby’s room, they are not effective at predicting or preventing a SIDS death. These monitors can also cause great stress du
