Oregon Public Broadcasting

Putting a fan in the room with your sleeping baby may reduce the risk of ‘Sudden Infant Death Syndrome’ -- according to a new study by Kaiser Permanente. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

This is the first time scientists have looked for a link between better air circulation and SIDS. They found that having a fan in the baby’s bedroom lowered the risk of SIDS  over 70 percent. 

Still Kaiser pediatrician Linda Lorenz says parents shouldn’t think of this as a sure means of prevention.

Linda Lorenz: “It’s difficult when we have a single study. I think that it’s information that supports the notion that SIDS probably has an environmental origin. That there are  things we can do with an infant's environment that can protect them from SIDS.”

Having infants sleep on their backs, instead of their fronts, has cut the instances of SIDS in half since the 1990’s. Other precautions include not filling a crib with stuffed animals and not pulling blankets higher than a baby’s shoulders.

Researchers think such actions reduce the chance that babies will re-breathe their exhaled carbon dioxide.