SAFETY: CAR SEAT USE AND MISUSE Alaska Injury Prevention Center Sept 11, 2012 Mary Pomeroy, PT Ability Pediatric Physical Therapy
AAP: Car Seat Alert SAFE SLEEP Not safe for sleeping Car safety seats are not stable on a crib mattress or other elevated surfaces. Contributes to positional skull deformities American Academy of Pediatrics: OCT 2011
Car Seat: Suffocation Alert!! “Infants who are younger than 4 months are particularly at risk, because they might assume positions that can create risk of suffocation or airway obstruction.”
“Bucket Babies” Developmental Consequences and Their Prevention AGENDA Who are the Bucket Babies? Etiology Prevention Safety
DIAGNOSIS: BUCKET BABIES
“Baby Buckets”
Motor Delay/Asymmetry, Plagiocephaly and Torticollis Motor delays extending to 15 mo. of age (J Ped 2006) Plagiocephaly (deformational): 1 in 60 live births (Petisch, Keefer, LaBrie, Mulliken. Pediatrics 2002; Graham 1999)) Torticollis (positional): 17% of babies with torticollis (Kordestani, Pate., et al)
Plagiocephaly
The prone-reluctant baby Look for developmental and health concerns Observe for asymmetrical skill development: limbs, torso, head Consider PT referral
Tummy Time Tools from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta etools etools
Head tilt, asymmetric rotation: so what?
Age 6: SCOLIOSIS
PREVENTION of BUCKET BABY TRIAD THROUGH EDUCATION Before baby arrives: childbirth class/health fairs Car seat / misuse education Well baby checks
Parent Education: Newborn Nursery and Health Care Office Prone time education: flip the pancake Feeding and diapering positions Carrying in arms, not “bucket” Appropriate use not Misuse
Thanks!
References Available upon request.