For the record, to f/u a posting today, the above May 1999 Pediatrics
103(3) e 59 clearly states in the second line of the conclusion:

"Bed-sharing and use of aculd beds for infants should be discouraged."

I just finished analyzing the article with the head of our Epidemiology
department.  As a case series without known denominators (and therefore
the ability to determine relative risks of different sleeping locations),
this recommendation stretches beyond their data, but will likely
nevertheless be interpreted to reinforce professional recommendations
against co-sleeping.  Misclassification is also a potential problem with
the study, including in how the diagnoses of "suffocation", "beds" vs
"cribs", and especially "overlaying" were made.  If the type of bed was
not specified as a "crib" on the death certificates, it was assumed to be
a parental bed.  However, the E codes used don't allow distinction between
the two...

Just some thoughts as your respond to likely concern from parents and
colleagues about this article.

*********************************************************************
MaryAnn O'Hara, MD, MSt
Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program
University of Washington
1959 NE Pacific, Rm H-220 Health Sciences Center, Box 357183
Seattle, WA 98195-7183
(office)         # 206-616-8724
(home office)      206-329-6870
(fax)              206-685-2473
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
*********************************************************************

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