Alicia Silverstone on co-sleeping with son sparks debate: Here’s what experts say

Alicia Silverstone recently made headlines this week as she made shocking revelations about co-sleeping with her 11-year-old son, Bear.

According to Insider, the Clueless star appeared on The Ellen Fisher Podcast where she opened up about unconventional parenting methods she’s embraced and one of them was “co-sleeping”.

“The things I am doing, I am not inventing. I did not invent any of it. I would love to take credit for all of it, but it’s not me unfortunately; it's just me following nature,” said Silverstone.

The actress’ confession sparked debate on the internet and also raised an important question: Can parents share a bed with their preteen’s children?

Experts observed “sharing a bed with your child is a personal decision, not a medical one”. However, the American Academy of Paediatrics recommended that parents should not share a bed with infants except “if feeding or comforting them”.

“For infants, bed-sharing does impose some risk of suffocation,” said an American paediatrician.

However, a few psychologists suggested that co-sleeping should stop “when a child’s body begin to transition in puberty”.

Health experts also noted that in few cases, “co-sleeping is due to separation anxiety, which is not a cause for concern and this could be addressed with a doctor”.

“If your child is highly anxious and finds comfort in being near you, it's OK to set up a mattress in the same room,” added health specialists.