SIDS risk as childcare centres ignore sleeping safety guidelines

ALARMING numbers of Brisbane registered childcare centres are failing to comply with basic safety practices, new research shows.

ALARMING numbers of registered childcare centres are failing to comply with safe infant sleeping practices despite the dangers of sudden infant death syndrome, new Queensland research shows.

A study of 18 registered Brisbane childcare services by University of Queensland researchers found almost half were observed placing babies either on their front or side to sleep, ignoring recommendations developed to reduce the risks of SIDS.

Two-thirds used loose bedding, quilts, doonas, pillows, sheepskins or soft toys in cots despite safety guidelines advising against such practices.

Lead researcher and developmental psychologist Sally Staton said she was “very shocked” by the findings, to be presented to SleepDownUnder 2018, a three-day conference of Australia’s top sleep scientists in Brisbane this week.

Dr Staton said educators who had started working in childcare before or during the public health infant sleeping campaigns of the early 1990s were more likely to place babies on their backs to sleep, in line with evidence-based guidelines.

Safety guidelines say infants should sleep on their backs.

She said that in some cases, parents were asking educators to use unsafe sleep positions.

But guidelines endorsed by the Australian Children’s Education and care Quality Authority state that babies should only be allowed to sleep on their stomach or side under a written medical direction.

“Probably one of the take­aways from the research is ­really strengthening the confidence of early childhood educators to be clear about their role as being protective of the children within their service,” Dr Staton said.

“Ultimately, parents have the choice about how they look after their children at home but once they go into that group childcare setting. Educators have very specific requirements to ensure that they’re complying with safe sleeping guidelines. I think it’s important to relay that to parents.”

SIDS rates in Australia have dropped by more than 90 per cent since the safe infant sleeping campaigns began in 1991. In 2016 about 90 babies died from SIDS.

Dr Staton said childcare centres may be failing to comply with safe sleeping guidelines because of complacency linked with the public having far less awareness of past SIDS rates.

Her study was funded jointly by the Queensland Education Department and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

SleepDownUnder 2018, hosted by the Australasian Sleep Association and the Australasian Sleep Technologists Association, will open on Thursday at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The three-day conference will canvas topics as diverse as how to beat jet lag and how gambling and binge drinking affect sleep.

SAFE INFANT SLEEPING GUIDELINES

* Babies should sleep on their back unless there is a valid medical reason to put them on their side or front.

* Parents who want childcare staff to swaddle or wrap the arms of babies’ older than three months, or wrap babies who are already old enough to roll, will be overruled unless endorsed by a doctor.

* No cushions, pillows or toys in the cot.

* Babies should be placed with their feet at the bottom of the cot so it is not possible for a blanket to come up over their heads.