Can Bedroom Fans Lower SIDS Risk?

SIDS is such a terrifying prospect for any new parent that it's no wonder there seem to be so many scientific studies on it. Doctors have pointed to a number of ways to lower the risk: Put babies to sleep on their backs, for example, and avoid surrounding them with loose or thick bedding. Now there's something new to think about: bedroom fans. A recent study found that infants sleeping in a room with a moving fan had a 72 percent lower risk for SIDS than their fanless fellow babies. The theory is that the fan circulates air and lessens the chance that a baby will re-inhale his or her own breath. Fresh air means more oxygen. Before dashing out to the Walmart to plunk down for a new fan though, parents should note that the study is far from conclusive and needs to be backed up by other studies.
In other baby and toddler health news, major players in the cough and cold medicine industry have agreed to put labels on their products warning that they are not for use in children under 4, following an FDA recommendation that parents avoid giving cold meds to their young kids.