In the News
Although blankets might seem to provide comfort and warmth for a sleeping baby, they pose a risk of entrapment, suffocation and strangulation during the first year of life. Adults use blankets to keep warm at night because we have fully functioning nervous systems that allow us to move blankets throughout the night, change positions and control our temperature, explained Sanjie Garza-Cox, M.D., a board-certified neonatologist at Pediatrix® Neonatology of San Antonio. “Babies, on the other hand, don’t have the strength to change head or body position to protect their airways and keep their lungs open,” said Dr. Garza-Cox. “They can’t untangle themselves from blankets or keep themselves from rebreathing air if a pillow or a blanket gets near their face.” Experts generally agree that it is safe for children to sleep with a blanket after they reach one year of age. “They’ll begin to show increased strength and coordination when they can sit up, pull up and walk,” said Dr. Garza-Cox.
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