Night Lights

November 22, 2009

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Night Lights

by Susan E. Davis and Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P.
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.

These small and handy lights help illuminate the many nighttime chores that accompany parenthood, including finding your baby's mouth (to insert a breast or bottle), changing a diaper without startling baby and parent alike with a bright light, and even peeking at a newborn to be sure she's still breathing.

Night lights are useful for toddlers and preschoolers, too, who may be frightened by the dark or who may need to get up to go to the bathroom or to find you during the night.

Two main types
You can get two kinds of night lights: those that plug directly into an outlet and those that come with a cord and can be kept on a shelf or dresser.

Plug-in night lights--The plug-in kind are more common, but once your baby starts crawling, they can be dangerous. All too often, little ones will want to yank them out of and put them back into the socket, putting them at risk of suffering an electrical shock or burn. Whenever possible, we recommend using this type only in out-of-reach outlets.

Night light lamps--If your nursery outlets are not safely located out of your infant's reach, consider purchasing a small lamp or night light with a low-watt bulb that can safely and dimly light up the night from an inaccessible perch.

Potential fire hazard
In addition to the safety considerations mentioned above, night lights can pose a fire hazard if you don't take the appropriate precautions. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns that fires can start when flammable materials touch a night light. In an average year, CPSC receives about 10 reported incidents where night lights were cited as being responsible for fires where flammable materials, such as bedspreads, pillows, and toilet paper, were ignited. It appears that these night lights were so close to a bed that falling pillows or blankets were able to touch the light's hot bulb and catch fire. And most certainly, no blankets, or any flammable material, should ever be draped over a light to dim it.

To reduce the chance of fire:

locate night lights away from beds where the bulb might come in contact with flammable materials;

look for night lights that bear the mark of recognized testing laboratory;

consider using night lights that have cooler, mini neon bulbs instead of four- or seven-watt bulbs.

If you opt to use a night light, be sure to follow the above safety recommendations and stay informed about any night light recalls that might be (or have been) issued by the CPSC. Or ditch the idea of using night lights altogether and consider installing a dimmer switch for the overhead light in your infant's room. The simplest approach of all may simply be to allow her to become accustomed to sleeping in the dark.


RELATED INFORMATION

			A Parent's Look at Infant Sleep Supplies
			Safety: Household
			Sleep Supplies

Created June 14, 2001
Reviewed September 18, 2004

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