Researchers believe that a fan circulates air while the baby is sleeping thus reducing the risk of SIDS primarily because the carbon dioxide the baby breaths out is re-circulated around the room and not re-inhaled by the baby.
The study, conducted by the Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research in Oakland suggests that using a fan while a baby is sleeping can reduce SIDS risk by 72 percent. Other instructions like putting the baby to sleep on its back rather than its side still remain and are to be used in conjunction with new recommendations, authors said.
The study tracked 497 infants in 11 counties, including Santa Clara, Alameda, San Mateo and Monterey. There were 185 SIDS death cases in the study. The researchers noted that SIDS deaths have fallen almost 65 percent from 1992 to 2003.
The babies who died from SIDS were more likely to have been placed on their stomachs or sides to sleep. They also did not use a pacifier and were found with bedding or clothing covering their heads. Co-sleeping was also found to be a major factor related to SIDS.
The study results are published Monday in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine.
