Canister syndrome is a condition where babies experience motor delays due to lack of tummy time. This is caused by spending too much time on their backs in devices like car seats, swings, and strollers. Parents should ensure their babies have enough tummy time to prevent developmental delays. Safe playpens and baby carriers can also help.
Canister syndrome is a relatively new term, first used in mid-2008 to describe a condition seen by a variety of pediatric healthcare providers. In a survey sponsored by Pathways Awareness, pediatric healthcare providers have noted an increase in motor delays in infants, which may be related to the amount of time babies spend on their backs. The big take on the container syndrome theory is that babies who aren’t given adequate tummy time (tummy time) can miss out on opportunities for natural, developmentally appropriate muscle development, especially of the head and neck muscles.
There has been an increase in the amount of time babies spend on their backs, especially with the growing popularity of a variety of baby carriers. These include things like car seats, baby swings, rockers and strollers, where children are strapped in with five-point harnesses to prevent them from falling out of them. While these devices certainly have their uses, babies can be left in for too long, especially by busy mums and if the baby stays content. Lying on their backs can flatten the skull and prevent children from learning to hold their heads upright, which can cause gross motor and developmental delays.
Another problem that could be part of container syndrome is that most parents are told to have babies sleep on their backs. Back sleeping is linked to lower incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and has been adopted by many parents. Yet this back-sleeping means that babies may be on their backs far more than they would have been just a couple of decades ago. The studies thus far on container syndrome don’t recommend that parents switch babies to a different sleep position, but instead advocate making sure babies have plenty of tummy time on a daily basis.
How can you make sure you avoid container syndrome? Pathways has low-priced materials on how to integrate tummy time into a baby’s normal routine, but you don’t need to order these materials. The recommendations for the first few weeks of life are simple enough, allowing for tummy time for a few seconds a day at most. Some newborns protest quite strongly at being left on their tummies for a long time.
Some parents may ask how they can provide tummy time when they are very busy. Not all containers are bad. For younger babies, a safe playpen can be a means of keeping the baby away from other children, pets or the like, whilst still giving them time to explore on their tummy, although it can help encourage babies to stay in the play position. belly, as they are usually able to turn inside out after a few months.
Other parents advocate using different types of containers to avoid container syndrome. For example, babies in slings, especially when they can hold their head up a bit, won’t have pressure on the back of their head. Likewise, some front and back packs reduce this pressure, and the upright position can help children strengthen their necks.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
