Baby Trackers: Peace of Mind or Added Anxiety?
Parents, now more than ever, are looking for peace of mind when it comes to the safety of their children. SIDS is a big fear and parents are spending billions of dollars each year on baby monitors in order to help alleviate some of the worry. Baby monitors are becoming more and more sophisticated, offering features like blood oxygen and air quality monitoring, along with the traditional audio/video feeds. Pediatricians warn parents not to rely too heavily on monitoring devices, mainly because the devices are not perfect. False alarms can sound, causing undue distress or the device may not even work properly. The best way to avoid SIDS is to follow advice given by doctors, such as having the baby sleep in their own bed without loose coverings and on a firm surface.
Key Takeaways:
- Today’s smart monitors can even track the baby’s heart rate, oxygen level, and sleep patterns.
- Baby monitors are not considered as medical devices and are therefore not approved by the FDA.
- According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the use of cardiorespiratory monitors has not been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS.
“The company makes the Owlet Smart Sock, which wraps around a baby’s foot to track heart rate, oxygen levels, and sleep. “Six to 10 years ago, audio, [with] no cameras, was the trend,” he says. Then video monitors were added to the audio.”