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Researcher explains 'tummy time,' seeks newborns for study

Erin Wentz, PhDThe American Academy of Pediatrics says babies need to be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome during the first year of life. But daily supervised play time while on their tummies is recommended for developmental reasons. Upstate physical therapist Erin Wentz, PhD, above, says this supervised time is important for babies to help strengthen their neck and trunk but also to stimulate exploration. She's leading a study to determine the best daily cumulative amount of "tummy time" and seeks full-term newborns up to 8 weeks of age to participate. The study continues with monthly home visits by Wentz until the baby reaches 18 months of age. To learn more, send her an email at wentze@upstate.edu.

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