Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about helping kids stay safe and healthy. Cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, increase during cold weather, but parents can do one thing to lower their child’s risk: put infants to sleep on their backs.
Dr. George Lister, chairman of pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says infants should be placed on their backs every time they go to sleep, and they should sleep on a firm surface rather than on pillows or blankets. Doctors also recommend that infants not sleep in beds, sofas or chairs with adults or other children. For playtime, infants can be placed on their stomachs as long as they’re supervised. This helps them develop neck, arm and shoulder muscles, as well as encouraging brain development.
Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/patientcare/medicalservices/pediatrics.html to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services in pediatrics.
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January 2008
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