Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Sudden infant death syndrome is the death of a baby younger then one year old without a known cause. Typically, a parent or other caregiver puts the baby, who seems healthy, down to sleep and returns later to find the baby has died. No one is at fault when a baby dies of SIDS; it can be neither predicted or completely prevented.
Although SIDS is rare, it is one of the most common causes of death in babies between 1 and 12 months of age. Most babies who die of SIDS are between the ages of 2 and 4 months.
Some risk factors are associated with SIDS, although the relationships are not entirely clear. Risk factors include having a low birth rate or being born prematurely, having been part of a multiple pregnancy, lack of medical care for the mother during pregnancy, having a mother younger then 20, and being exposed to cigarette smoke. More boys then girls die of SIDS. Most SIDS death occur in the winter.
Researchers are currently studying the possibility that SIDS may result with problems with the brain’s ability to control breathing and or temperature during the first months of life. As the baby’s brain matures, this risk is reduced.
Crib bedding is also very important. Blankets and sheets should fit properly to the mattress and crib so that the bedding doesn’t slip and your baby doesn’t become entangled in it.
More research is being done on SIDS and continues to offer more and more information for parents of the newborns.
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Add comment August 11th, 2006
