Q&A Forum

28/4/20

Evan Bayliss

We have wood heating (closed fire box) in our living room. Whenever we throw a new log on a little bit of smoke enters the room which we can smell. After a minute or two, the smoke abates. Our new baby is often in the room at this time but at least 5 metres away from the source. At night, our baby is sleeping with us in the bedroom with no smoke at all. Does this present a risk from a SIDS perspective? The exposure would be very low (if at all) and we only burn the cleanest wood.

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Posted a response on 29/4/20

Red Nose Education

Red Nose has included some information in relation to bush fire smoke, following the recent experiences in Australia over summer.
When considering a baby’s exposure of any form of smoke, we recognise that the greater the exposure, the greater the risk.
While any exposure from a home wood fire smoke exposure would be much less than that of daily exposure to bush fire smoke, some of the information may be helpful.

Bushfire smoke contains toxic gases such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, and particles, all of which can be hazardous.
Small particles in smoke can effects the lungs’ ability to breath normally, aggravate asthma or other respiratory conditions, and can cause a sore throat, runny nose or coughing.
For healthy adults, these symptoms usually go away once the smoke has subsided.
Pregnant women, young children and infants are more sensitive to the effects of breathing in the smoke.

However, we do know that bushfire smoke is toxic, so Red Nose recommends that pregnant women and young children, especially infants, actively limit exposure to the smoke to protect against the ill-effects of the hazardous air.
https://rednose.org.au/article/bushfire-smoke-and-the-risk-of-sids-and-stillbirth

As the exposure to the baby would be minimal, the risk to a normal, well & healthy baby would be minimal.

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