26 August 2001

Media Release

Head flattening and distortion in 30% of all babies [where]

Dr Jim Sprott today released figures obtained from a totally reliable source which state that 30% of all babies presenting at Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland had distorted heads, brought about by face-up sleeping. The NZ Ministry of Health, and other bodies, advocate face-up sleeping as a means of reducing cot death. Previous statements from Middlemore Hospital describe these deformities as an epidemic.

“This is a ridiculous situation” said Dr Sprott. Provided some simple, 100% effective cot death prevention methods are adopted, babies can sleep safely on their sides and head distortion will disappear”.

For decades Plunket and others recommended side-sleeping, said Dr Sprott, and no one ever heard of either cot death or head-flattening. “Morning, noon and night – put your baby on its right” went the old saying. And it worked.”

In the 1960s paediatricians told mothers to sleep their babies face-down, and cot death soared as a result. Now they tell parents to sleep them face-up, and distorted heads resulted. “These paediatricians need to listen to some science, said Dr Sprott. They’ve made two disastrous mistakes in the space of 30 years, and that’s enough.

Dr Sprott called again for the Ministry of Health to admit their error, and to adopt the proven method of cot death prevention – mattress-wrapping.

“And then distorted heads will be a thing of the past, just as cot death will” he said.