The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is issuing a stern warning about newborn weighted sleep sacks after a study revealed the sleep products could cause a decrease in oxygen levels as chest load increased.
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According to NBC News, the AAP described the study, which was commissioned by Nested Bean and conducted by a private engineering firm, as possible “evidence that the use of weight sleep products on infants can lead to lower oxygen levels, which if sustained, may be harmful to the developing infant’s brain.”
In a letter sent to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and a technical standards development organization, ASTM International, the AAP said weighted sleep sacks could increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. The association said the weight could make it harder for babies to arouse in their sleep.
“Why would anyone put a weight on top of a child’s chest — particularly a newborn?” Dr. Michael Goodstein, a neonatologist and member of the AAP’s task force on SIDS, said.
Goodstein also noted the elasticity and flexibility of infants' rib cages and the risk added weight could cause.
Dr. Rachel Moon, the chair of the AAP's task force on SIDS, noted that infants could also experience fatigue, which could impact their breathing.
At this time, there are not any federal safety requirements for infant sleep sacks, however, the Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said the agency was looking into examining wearable blankets.
Although there was no conclusive data that the products are unsafe, the AAP seeks to avoid possible deaths or injuries.
