Health scare of the week: Car seats aren’t cribs

Infant car seats certainly save lives during traffic accidents, but babies can develop respiratory problems if they spend too much time in them, pediatricians now say. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that when babies sleep in car seats, their heads can roll forward, compressing their chests and restricting their airways, especially if the seats are not reclined at the recommended 45-degree angle. The researchers analyzed the blood-oxygen levels of newborns after they lay in a hospital bed and again after they sat in a car seat; about 20 percent had lower oxygen levels after being in the car seats. Parents are especially advised not to let babies sleep in car seats other than in the car, lead researcher T. Bernard Kinane tells CNN.com. “These safety devices should only be used for protection during travel and not as a replacement for a crib.”