The prone sleeping position impairs arousability in term infants

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether the prone sleeping position impaired arousal from sleep in healthy infants and whether this impairment was related to cardiorespiratory variables, temperature, or age. Study design: Healthy term infants (n = 24) were studied with daytime polysomnography on 3 occasions: 2 to 3 weeks after birth, 2 to 3 months after birth, and 5 to 6 months after birth. Multiple measurements of arousal threshold (cm H2O) in response to air-jet stimulation applied alternately to the nares were made in both active sleep and quiet sleep when infants slept both prone and supine. Results: Arousal thresholds were significantly higher in both active sleep and quiet sleep when infants..