Midwives have issued a stark warning over the dangers of ‘baby face masks’ attached to dummies.
From Friday, anyone entering a shop in England must wear a face mask - apart from children under the age of 11.
However concerned midwifery groups have issued warnings to parents against making their babies use dummies with a mask attached to cover the lower half of their face.
The Pendle Family Zone Facebook group, which represents ‘Children and Family Wellbeing Services’ in Lancashire, shared a picture of the worrying trend.
They said: “One of ELHT's [East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust] amazing Community Midwives has brought this to our attention, after seeing this promoted as a cute idea for babies.
“Please, please, please do not do this!
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“Babies are too little to wear a mask, and this design looks like it would increase the risk of suffocation.”
They also quoted The Lullaby Trust - a charity raising awareness of sudden infant death syndrome, who say: "We are not aware of any advice for babies to wear masks, whether they are infected or not.
"There is potential risk of suffocation and other hazards with doing this.", reports the Sun.
Some parents were horrified by the images of the masks, with one saying: "Never ever out a mask on a child."
Another wrote: "I cannot believe what I am seeing, how ridiculous and dangerous."
One mum said the masks were "disgusting", adding; "Why would they even produce these knowing the dangers.
"Let's make money but risk lives. And who allowed production and right to sell."
