Anna Waugh and Sarah Hill outline the basic principles of protecting a child’s chest shape and suggest that nurses are well placed to take the lead in this developing field

A child’s night-time sleeping position is important because a destructive lying posture can, over time, distort a child’s body shape. This can reduce the capacity of the abdomen and thorax, compromise internal organs and lead to a premature death. Nurses can have a role in promoting postural care and help to protect children at risk of body shape distortion.