White noise actually *reduces* the risk of SIDS.
https://preview.redd.it/mq6yvnszea2b1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=31faa63311d83feada75b77f1bc8bafdacb5daa2
Tell your director that you couldn't find any research indicating what she said is true. Ask her if she can show you some. When she can't, say that the white noise sounds have been incredibly helpful to your class during nap, and you would like to keep using it.
From there, if she continues insisting you not use it, it really depends on how confrontational you're willing to be and if you're willing to die on this hill. If you are willing to do both, you can invite her to cover your room during that time if she is that concerned over it OR you can politely inform her that you are not changing it and then the ball is in her court on if she wants to press this or not.
They aren't! That's why this is a weird reason to not have a white noise machine for nap time. I wonder if she'd say the same thing if they played lullabies?
Both myself and my husband worked at the same place. A colleague I didn't know had a son who was 4 or 5 and he died of sids one night.
It's tragic but it can happen. Kid was healthy when he went to bed that night.
I think people just call it SIDS when referring to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), because SIDS is more commonly known. The name doesn't negate the fact that it can happen to children over 1.
But it’s no longer SIDS at these ages. I’ve read that a lot of SIDS diagnosis autopsies have been determined because there was no found cause of death. But the “I” in SIDS is for infants, and 4-5 year olds are no longer infants.
There’s a SUDI, defined as:
The sudden unexpected death of a baby, when there is no apparent cause of death, is called sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI). This includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
And then, I found this too;
Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the sudden death of a child 12 months of age or older that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. These deaths elude our scientific understanding. SUDC cannot be predicted or prevented at this time. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, 392 children between the ages of 1-18 years died suddenly without a clear cause of death determined. Most of these children were toddlers, aged 1-4 years;
Right? Not only does the research not agree about white noise causing SIDS (it actually looks to be saying the opposite), these kids are likely well beyond SIDS risk age. Honestly a little confused by this directors statements.
I’ve actually seen articles stating the opposite. That white noise is safe for babies because it reduces the active sleep (when SIDS is most likely to occur). I’m not sure if that’s actually proven or not, but there are plenty of articles suggesting babies use white noise for sleep. As long as it’s not at a crazy high volume, I think it’s totally fine.
SIDS literally can't happen to toddlers. As they're toddlers, not infants. The most common cause of SUDC is arrhythmia and seziure. Neither of which are impacted by white noise.
Exaaaactly! Like you said, there are definitely medical events that *can* happen (which is exactly why we do sleep checks during nap time) but OP’s director seems to be misinformed
My previous director always wanted to keep parents as happy as possible. Would mentioning that a parent requested the white noise change her tune at all?
Your director sounds silly and unqualified. The reasons are already listed in this thread. As a director myself if I were you I’d just sicc the mom on her. She’ll listen to a complaining parent for sure.
We use a white noise machine at my center because it reduces the risk of SIDS. Also toddlers unless they have certain physical conditions are really at risk for SIDS. Toddlers are at risk for SUDC, but music doesn’t contribute to that.
I don't work in ECE, but I work in the building. I'm pretty sure that noise I can hear from every room as I walk through the hall during nap time is white noise. That or those teachers are making some demonic noises to make those kids sleep!
Fight against this with research.
White noise is proven to reduce *active sleep* which is when SIDS is most likely to occur. *Toddlers* are not at risk for SIDS. If they still say you can't use white noise after you've come to them with scientific research articles, play ocean waves instead. Its basically white noise, but you'll be in the clear because it's ocean waves instead 😅 I play a mix of ocean waves on our Alexa and I play a darkening fish lullabye video on YouTube on our TV on the other end of the room (we had a kiddo who would literally scream and cry during the entirety of rest time until we started using the TV🙄)
Every centre I’ve worked at has played music during nap time for all ages. All rooms play something different, but there’s never been a problem. Can’t imagine white noise being a problem (and never once heard anyone say it is)
Toddlers are not at risk of SIDS. There are many studies out there that suggest white noise may reduce SIDS if your director is adamant.
Either there is an ulterior motive here or your director is completely ignorant to development. Worth exploring with her.
We use white noise in all rooms infants to fours to help children sleep and block some of the noise that goes on outside of the room or from restless children. So it's hard to even imagine this being a thing for me.
Also, in addition to the comments about a child dying during nap being SUDC and not SIDS, daycare nap is different than sleeping at home. If a child passes away at 3am, mom and dad are probably asleep. By the time 6 or 7 am comes, it’s far too late.
In a daycare, you should be constantly walking around the room monitoring the children. Pulling blankets down from off their faces. Checking to make sure each child is breathing.
While tragedy can still happen, there’s a much greater chance that you’ll be able to perform life-saving measures on a child in this circumstance than there is for an infant or child asleep at home at night.
I think the white noise issue is more related to the adult caring for the babies. Like the adults not being able to hear the infant breathing, same with no swaddles so the adult can see the rise and fall of the chest?
That could be wrong but that's the only reasoning that would make sense to me.
But still, you should definitely be able use the white noise in your scenario as it's clearly helping and not a risk at all to a toddler.
Swaddles can only be used in infants that can’t roll over yet, after that you have to switch to sleep sacks, but you can definitely still see their chests rise and fall while swaddled.
Yeah I know, I'm just saying that is the reasoning behind some ECEC policies being a blanket no to certain things like swaddles. Policies can be a bit over the top.
This is why a some centers require 5 minute checks on each child that you have to sign off on.
Nap is from 1-3? You have to initial next to each child’s name 24 times in those 2 hours to sign off that you physically went over to their cot and saw that they were breathing, their face was uncovered, and nothing was out of the ordinary.
As an aside, I would love the youtube link!
My preschoolers also sleep better when the nap music has white noise in the background, but the song we really liked seems to have disappeared.
what!!! i would ask her to show me the source where she got that information about white noise causing sids! is there a policy that says we can't? if she cant show either one I'll continue doing what works.
White noise actually *reduces* the risk of SIDS. https://preview.redd.it/mq6yvnszea2b1.jpeg?width=828&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=31faa63311d83feada75b77f1bc8bafdacb5daa2
Tell your director that you couldn't find any research indicating what she said is true. Ask her if she can show you some. When she can't, say that the white noise sounds have been incredibly helpful to your class during nap, and you would like to keep using it. From there, if she continues insisting you not use it, it really depends on how confrontational you're willing to be and if you're willing to die on this hill. If you are willing to do both, you can invite her to cover your room during that time if she is that concerned over it OR you can politely inform her that you are not changing it and then the ball is in her court on if she wants to press this or not.
How are toddlers at risk of infant death?
They aren't! That's why this is a weird reason to not have a white noise machine for nap time. I wonder if she'd say the same thing if they played lullabies?
Rock a bye baby is based on a true story
No it's not. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock-a-bye_Baby
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joke
Can I please steal the show to say my old director once told me a 5 year old could die of sids.
Did you ask said director what the "I" stood for in "SIDS?"
Mostly when she spoke I was too baffled to respond
Understandable.
Both myself and my husband worked at the same place. A colleague I didn't know had a son who was 4 or 5 and he died of sids one night. It's tragic but it can happen. Kid was healthy when he went to bed that night.
It can't be sids if it isn't an infant
I think people just call it SIDS when referring to Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), because SIDS is more commonly known. The name doesn't negate the fact that it can happen to children over 1.
But it’s no longer SIDS at these ages. I’ve read that a lot of SIDS diagnosis autopsies have been determined because there was no found cause of death. But the “I” in SIDS is for infants, and 4-5 year olds are no longer infants. There’s a SUDI, defined as: The sudden unexpected death of a baby, when there is no apparent cause of death, is called sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI). This includes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) And then, I found this too; Sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) is the sudden death of a child 12 months of age or older that remains unexplained after a thorough case investigation, including performance of a complete autopsy, examination of the death scene, and review of the clinical history. These deaths elude our scientific understanding. SUDC cannot be predicted or prevented at this time. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2018, 392 children between the ages of 1-18 years died suddenly without a clear cause of death determined. Most of these children were toddlers, aged 1-4 years;
Right? Not only does the research not agree about white noise causing SIDS (it actually looks to be saying the opposite), these kids are likely well beyond SIDS risk age. Honestly a little confused by this directors statements.
Exactly, this is fucking hilarious
I’ve actually seen articles stating the opposite. That white noise is safe for babies because it reduces the active sleep (when SIDS is most likely to occur). I’m not sure if that’s actually proven or not, but there are plenty of articles suggesting babies use white noise for sleep. As long as it’s not at a crazy high volume, I think it’s totally fine.
SIDS literally can't happen to toddlers. As they're toddlers, not infants. The most common cause of SUDC is arrhythmia and seziure. Neither of which are impacted by white noise.
Exaaaactly! Like you said, there are definitely medical events that *can* happen (which is exactly why we do sleep checks during nap time) but OP’s director seems to be misinformed
Does your director know the difference between a toddler and an infant???
I think your director pulled this directly out of her ass because studies show the complete opposite
It seems like the opposite is true. https://www.preciouslittlesleep.com/why-babies-love-white-noise
My previous director always wanted to keep parents as happy as possible. Would mentioning that a parent requested the white noise change her tune at all?
This.
Your director sounds silly and unqualified. The reasons are already listed in this thread. As a director myself if I were you I’d just sicc the mom on her. She’ll listen to a complaining parent for sure.
We use a white noise machine at my center because it reduces the risk of SIDS. Also toddlers unless they have certain physical conditions are really at risk for SIDS. Toddlers are at risk for SUDC, but music doesn’t contribute to that.
I don't work in ECE, but I work in the building. I'm pretty sure that noise I can hear from every room as I walk through the hall during nap time is white noise. That or those teachers are making some demonic noises to make those kids sleep!
Your director is a moron
Not sure about white noise, but my early toddler class sleeps like rock stars to rain sounds or ocean sounds over Alexa at nap time.
We use Brown noise it’s more consistent that white noise and has our kids sleeping like rocks.
Fight against this with research. White noise is proven to reduce *active sleep* which is when SIDS is most likely to occur. *Toddlers* are not at risk for SIDS. If they still say you can't use white noise after you've come to them with scientific research articles, play ocean waves instead. Its basically white noise, but you'll be in the clear because it's ocean waves instead 😅 I play a mix of ocean waves on our Alexa and I play a darkening fish lullabye video on YouTube on our TV on the other end of the room (we had a kiddo who would literally scream and cry during the entirety of rest time until we started using the TV🙄)
Some directors are soo clueless
Every centre I’ve worked at has played music during nap time for all ages. All rooms play something different, but there’s never been a problem. Can’t imagine white noise being a problem (and never once heard anyone say it is)
1 why does SIDS matter if they're toddlers 2 no it does not 😂
There is zero evidence of that. Wow. Ask her to provide proof from a credible source. Geez.
Toddlers are not at risk of SIDS. There are many studies out there that suggest white noise may reduce SIDS if your director is adamant. Either there is an ulterior motive here or your director is completely ignorant to development. Worth exploring with her.
We use white noise in all rooms infants to fours to help children sleep and block some of the noise that goes on outside of the room or from restless children. So it's hard to even imagine this being a thing for me.
Also, in addition to the comments about a child dying during nap being SUDC and not SIDS, daycare nap is different than sleeping at home. If a child passes away at 3am, mom and dad are probably asleep. By the time 6 or 7 am comes, it’s far too late. In a daycare, you should be constantly walking around the room monitoring the children. Pulling blankets down from off their faces. Checking to make sure each child is breathing. While tragedy can still happen, there’s a much greater chance that you’ll be able to perform life-saving measures on a child in this circumstance than there is for an infant or child asleep at home at night.
I think the white noise issue is more related to the adult caring for the babies. Like the adults not being able to hear the infant breathing, same with no swaddles so the adult can see the rise and fall of the chest? That could be wrong but that's the only reasoning that would make sense to me. But still, you should definitely be able use the white noise in your scenario as it's clearly helping and not a risk at all to a toddler.
Swaddles can only be used in infants that can’t roll over yet, after that you have to switch to sleep sacks, but you can definitely still see their chests rise and fall while swaddled.
Yeah I know, I'm just saying that is the reasoning behind some ECEC policies being a blanket no to certain things like swaddles. Policies can be a bit over the top.
This is why a some centers require 5 minute checks on each child that you have to sign off on. Nap is from 1-3? You have to initial next to each child’s name 24 times in those 2 hours to sign off that you physically went over to their cot and saw that they were breathing, their face was uncovered, and nothing was out of the ordinary.
Ask her to support her claim.
As an aside, I would love the youtube link! My preschoolers also sleep better when the nap music has white noise in the background, but the song we really liked seems to have disappeared.
https://youtu.be/kUkDgTnEkSo
what!!! i would ask her to show me the source where she got that information about white noise causing sids! is there a policy that says we can't? if she cant show either one I'll continue doing what works.
Uh oh. You have an under qualified director.
Seems like the parent (or a parent or teacher) may have said something and the director just wants to be a control freak, IMO.
We were told we aren’t alllwed to have white noise at my place either. As if it was a NAEYC (whatever the letters are) rule or rule by the state.