Positioning for acute respiratory distress in hospitalised infants and children

Abstract

An association has been established between prone positioning and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) which has lead to the recommendation that young infants be positioned supine. Yet, the prone position has been shown to improve the arterial oxygenation in older infants and children with respiratory distress. Due to structural and physiological immaturity, the respiratory mechanics differ between adults and children, which means that the risks and benefits of positioning in the younger age group may have more clinical significance. Given the SIDS recommendations for supine positioning in young infants and the benefits associated with prone positioning with respiratory distress, a systematic review of the literature was necessary to guide clinical practice in hospitalised infants and children. The aim of this Cochrane Review was to compare the effects of different body positions (prone, supine, lateral, elevated and flat) on infants and children hospitalised with acute respiratory distress. The search for this review was updated in August 2008.