Bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups injuring babies: study

Columbus, OH – From 1991 to 2010, approximately 45,400 children younger than 3 were treated in an emergency department for injuries associated with baby bottles, pacifiers and sippy cups, according to a study (.pdf file) from Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University.

Using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, researchers found that the most common injury was a child falling while using the products (86.1 percent of injuries). Bottles accounted for 65.8 percent of injuries, followed by pacifiers at 19.9 percent and sippy cups at 14.3 percent. Body areas most commonly injured were the mouth (71 percent) and the head, face or neck (20 percent).

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents transition their children to regular, lidless cups at 12 months of age, and that they try to limit pacifier use after 6 months of age.

The study was published online on May 14 in the journal Pediatrics.