Mattress-wrapping for crib death prevention, which has been publicised in New Zealand
for over seven years, has had a 100% success rate. More than 400 crib deaths occurred in
New Zealand during the years 1995 to 1999 inclusive, but there has been no reported crib
death among the tens of thousands of babies who have slept on mattresses wrapped to
the Cot Life 2000 specifications.
The New Zealand cot death rate has fallen markedly since mattress-wrapping commenced
in late 1994. From 1994 to 1999 the nationwide rate fell by 48%, and the Pakeha (European)
rate by an estimated 70%.
Progress figures for the year 2000 show that this success in crib death prevention is
continuing. The extent of the major reductions in New Zealand cot death rates cannot be
attributed to the crib death prevention advice publicised by the New Zealand Ministry of
Health and the New Zealand Cot Death Association. There has been no material change
in that advice since 1992.
Sales information relating to BabeSafe mattress covers shows that tens of thousands of
New Zealand babies have slept on wrapped mattresses, and also that mattress-wrapping
has been predominantly adopted by Pakeha (European) parents. The Ministry of Health
has confirmed that mattress-wrapping is more prevalent among the Pakeha community
than among other ethnic groups.
There is an urgent need for New Zealand babycare professionals to stress mattress-wrapping
advice to the Maori community. Although the incidence of Maori crib death has fallen
since mattress-wrapping began, it is still high (2.8/1000). Whereas in the early 1990s the
Maori crib death rate was about four times the Pakeha rate, it is now seven times the
Pakeha rate. This, of course, reflects the marked decrease in Pakeha crib death since
mattress-wrapping commenced.
A considerable body of research has been reported which supports the toxic gas theory
for crib death (on which mattress-wrapping is based). Contrary to media publicity, the
1998 UK Limerick Report did not disprove the toxic gas theory, a fact which has been
confirmed in the New Zealand Medical Journal. In fact, the Limerick Committee's
experiments, which related specifically to antimony, proved the generation of a form
of stibine gas.
Parents, however, are more interested in the practical proof:
NO REPORTED CRIB DEATH ON A CORRECTLY WRAPPED MATTRESS, where tens of
thousands of BabeSafe mattress-covers have been sold!
Continue...
(paraphrased) taken from CotLife2000.com by permission.
For more information, please feel free to contact:
T J Sprott OBE 10 Combes Road
MSc PhD FNZIC Remuera
Consulting Chemist Auckland 5
Forensic Scientist NEW ZEALAND
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