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Tue, 1 Jul 2008 10:18:30 -0400 |
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After reading as much as I could on the topic, there really is not enough clearly defined
studies to warrant a statistical meta-analaysis. What people forget when they give far too
much power to statistics is that if the basic definitions are flawed and the basic principals
of science of challenging your own hypotheses are not followed --- the studies become
meaningless.
One must start with clear cut hypothesis and challenge the underlying assumptions. At
this point in time --- the data do not exist to support a true statistical meta-analysis of
safe sleep studies. Statistics are only as good as the underlying assumptions. Just like
the numbers on the weighing scale are only as good as the many other observations of
the feeding and the baby --- not to be used in isolation. In actually this means that a
solid understanding of physiology and cultural practices MUST inform research. James
McKenna has provided as good an analysis of the available evidence as is possible.
Further studies without clear definitions are not going to provide us with good evidence no
matter what the sample size is or the p-values are.
Here at least in Lactnet, I would appreciate clear cut definitions of the sleeping
environment as a start to a more meaningful discussions. Sloppy definitions lead to
sloppy science.
And with inadequate data --- the claims that cosleeping is dangerous (and I would argue
that even the poor data we have right not suggests just the opposite) have no more
credibility than the opposite. Bed sharing and cosleeping are not interchangeable terms
and we of all professions have a responsibility to stop this misuse of language.
Best, Susan
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