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Babies sleeping on their side: Watch out for flattened heads!
Babies sleeping on their side before they can sneak up on their own will be susceptible to health conditions such as flat head syndrome, asphyxiation, etc.
Babies spend a lot of time sleeping. As a parent, you can observe your baby's sleeping habits and sometimes find it interesting to sleep on his side. However, unlike adults, there are certain effects of infants sleeping on their backs.
Is it safe for babies to sleep on their sides?
The answer to this situation is no. Infants sleeping on their side will experience some of the following health conditions:
1. Skin discoloration
When this condition occurs, the side of the body that the baby is sleeping on will change color to pink or red, while the other half is not affected. In addition, you will notice that there is always a clear line between the two body parts with a pronounced color scheme.
Skin discoloration occurs when an infant sleeps on its side for several hours. However, even though it may seem alarming, the condition does not cause any negative effects on the baby and will disappear after a few minutes if the baby is turned back on its back.
The cause is thought to be due to gravity affecting blood flow in the blood vessels and causing the accumulation of red blood cells near the skin.
Treatment
Harlequin skin discoloration does not need to be treated with medical measures because it usually disappears on its own shortly after the baby changes position to sleep.
2. Flat head syndrome when babies sleep on their side
Early in life, a newborn's skull is still quite soft. This will allow the brain as well as the skull to grow and expand. If pressure builds up at some point in the skull, causing this organ to sink, or even sink, flat head syndrome will occur.
Babies will have the above syndrome if they often sleep in a lying position and on the same side. Inappropriate skull shape can limit the ability of the brain to expand. This can cause the brain to become underdeveloped.
Treatment
The treatment of flat head syndrome involves the use of a specialized cap that works to manipulate the head to correct the problem. In addition, parents should always pay close attention to their sleeping position and avoid letting infants lie on their side while sleeping.
3. Neck scoliosis
Scoliosis is characterized by an abnormal tilt of the neck in one direction due to a severe shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle that connects the side of the head to the collarbone. Since a newborn's muscles are still soft and developing, they can be negatively affected when the baby is sleeping on its side.
Treatment
Muscle tension will be released through physical therapy or through restorative belts. The harness wraps around the baby's body with a soft cushion near the neck. This pad pushes the head back to its normal position.
4. Risk of choking if infants lie on their side while sleeping
Newborn babies sleep on their side, causing the airways to curl and can cause difficulty breathing. In addition, this position also causes food in the baby's abdomen to back up and accumulate around the tracheal opening creating the risk of suffocation. Both babies sleeping on their sides or tummy are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) .
Treatment
There is no known cure for this, but you can prevent it by not letting your baby sleep on his side.
The secret to preventing babies from sleeping on their side
Parents can take some easy preventive measures to prevent an infant from sleeping on his side, such as:
1. Put your baby in bed
The simplest precaution is to let an infant lie on his or her back while sleeping in a crib or in bed. Studies have shown that this lying position will help prevent sudden death in infants as well as reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections.
2. Limit unnecessary objects
An infant's bed or crib should not have too many objects and toys. Some objects such as pillows, stuffed animals ... can cause your baby to tilt sideways in case he or she turns the mines while sleeping.
3. Limit cocooning
If you get into a baby cocoon, the risk of your baby lying on his side while sleeping is increased. This is because swaddling creates a smooth, cylindrical surface around the baby's body that makes it easier for the baby to roll to the side. In fact, cocooning also increases the risk of sudden death in a newborn.
4. Pay attention to your baby's sleeping position
If your baby is sleeping on its back, it's a good idea to rotate his / her head every night. For example, if the night before, the child lay slightly tilted his head to the right, the next day, adjust the baby's head slightly to the left. This will help prevent the development of flat head syndrome.
When can let baby lie on his side to sleep?
At about 6 months , your baby will start rolling to one side. This is a natural part of a child's development. If your baby is able to do this, you can put him to sleep on his side. In addition, the baby's active leaning also shows the healthy level of internal organs inside the baby's body and reduces the risk of asphyxiation while sleeping.
However, if the baby is practicing snorkeling before reaching the 6-month mark, you should put the baby back on his or her back.
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