Babies & The Danger Of Sleeping For Long Periods In Car Seats: Potentially Deadly Breathing Problems Found

Sleeping for long periods during car journeys isn't a safe situation for babies. A research team found that babies who sleep for long periods in car seats have a higher risk of breathing problems that can turn fatal.

Researchers from Bristol University in England examined 40 babies of different ages for the study, Tech Times reported. They looked for the effects of a baby sleeping in a car seat at a 40-degree angle, with the vehicle moving at a speed of 30 mph.

The researchers found that babies younger than two months old had their blood's oxygen level dropping "significantly" and their heartbeats increasing. According to the study's results, babies who sat at the prescribed angle for 30 minutes or more in a static or mobile position in the car had lower blood oxygen levels and elevated heartbeats and breathing rates, as opposed to infants who are sleeping flat in a cot or bed.

Dr. Peter Fleming, a pediatrician at Bristol University, advised parents and guardians to restrict car journeys with babies on board. Unnecessary car journeys with infants should be avoided and if it's really needed, restrict the journeys to "no more than half an hour or so."

Babies in a moving car aren't capable of preventing their heads from slumping forward because their neck muscles are not that strong yet. This inability can harm their breathing patterns and lead to possible fatal consequences.

Safety is a must when parents or guardians travel with babies and children. According to the CDC, motor vehicle injuries are a leading cause of death among children aged 12 and younger in the United States.

In 2014, 602 children in that age bracket died as passengers in motor vehicle crashes and more than 121,350 were injured. Out of those who died, 34 percent of the children aged 12 and younger were not properly buckled via a child safety seat or booster seat or a seat belt.

YOU advised parents to buy the best baby car seat they can afford instead of resorting to cheap ones or secondhand items. Car seats should also suit a child's age, weight and height.

Parents and guardians should ensure that the baby car seat is installed properly and doesn't move more than a few centimeters from side to side. The car's seat belt should hold the seat securely in place but in a way that's still comfortable for the child. The buckle should be fastened at about arm height; anything lower than that can fling the child from their seat and out of the car's windshield if an accident occurs.