 Every year in the United States, thousands of new parents face their biggest nightmare: the sudden and unexplained death of their seemingly healthy baby. Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in infants under one year old. Ninety percent of SIDS victims are under 6 months old. Most victims are between two and four months old.
Premature and low birth weight babies have higher rates of SIDS than other infants. In addition, babies of mothers who smoked during pregnancy and those who did not receive prenatal care are also more likely to die from SIDS.
Interestingly, African-American Infants and Native-American infants are more likely to die of SIDS than Caucasian babies. SIDS affects more boys than girls.
Approximately, 2,500 children die every year of SIDS in the United States. SIDS is sometimes called crib or cot death, because a majority of these victims die in their sleep, often during the nighttime hours between midnight and 6 a.m. However, SIDS does not just occur at night. About 20 percent of SIDS deaths occur in childcare settings.
Babies who die from SIDS do not appear to suffer or struggle.
Before a baby can be diagnosed with SIDS, a thorough investigation will be conducted, including an autopsy, examination of the death scene, and a review of the baby's medical history. This investigation can cause even more anguish for the parents who have just lost their infant.
With little answers to what caused their child's death, parents of SIDS victims can be experience feelings of deep sadness and guilt. Sometimes, this sadness can turn into depression. Counseling or psychotherapy can help these parents cope with the death of their child.
Researchers do not know exactly what causes SIDS, but there are some theories.
Many experts believe that some babies are more vulnerable to environmental stressors (such as smoking) during critical stages of their central nervous and immune system development than others. This underlying vulnerability may be genetic in origin, or acquired during pregnancy.
Emerging research suggests that SIDS babies may have problems with the area in the brainstem that is responsible for controlling your respiratory function and arousing you from sleep.
The current research suggests that when SIDS babies sleep in a compromising position, such as stomach down with their faces burrowed in soft bedding, they will keep "rebreathing" (inhaling their own exhaled air), rather than waking up. As the baby "rebreathes," the oxygen level in his or her body will decrease but carbon dioxide increases. This lack of oxygen will cause death.
Other experts believe that SIDS babies also have problems with how their heart works. But research findings have been inconsistent.
The rate of SIDS in the United States has declined over 50 percent since the 1990s, when the parents were first encouraged to place their babies to sleep on their backs.
Risk Factors for SIDS
Young mothers (under 20 years old) and mothers who smoke both during and after pregnancy have two to four times the risk of having their baby die from SIDS. The SIDS rate increases with the amount smoked. It's unclear during what developmental period that smoking is most harmful, but researchers strongly urge mothers to stop smoking to lower their SIDS risk.
Drug use and alcohol use during pregnancy is another risk factor. In one study, maternal drug use was found to quintuple the SIDS risk. Related information found at 10 weeks pregnant.
Other risk factors including not receiving prenatal care during pregnancy, not gaining enough weight during pregnancy, anemia, and a history of sexually transmitted disease or urinary tract infections.
Preterm (born before week 37 of pregnancy) babies have three to four times the risk of SIDS than full-term babies. Low birth weight infants (smaller than normal size baby) are also at significant risk for SIDS.
Pregnancy complications that are associated with increasing your SIDS risk include placenta previa (your placenta grows in the lowest part of the uterus), placenta abruption (the placenta separates from the uterus before the baby is ready to be delivered), premature rupture of membranes (your water breaks before your baby is ready to be delivered), and elevated levels of the protein alpha-fetaprotein in the mother.
Your baby's sleep environment can also influence his or her risk of SIDS. Studies have found that infants sleeping on soft mattress have a twofold increase risk of dying from SIDS.
Pacifier use is associated with reducing your baby's risk of SIDS. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends offering infants a pacifier during sleep, as long as it does not interfere with breastfeeding.
Vaccines are not associated with SIDS, though some experts think getting your baby immunized may help lower the risk of SIDS.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely prevent SIDS. However, there are several strategies you can use to lower your baby's risk:- Place your baby to sleep on his or her back. Side sleeping is no longer recommend, because your infant can roll on his stomach. "Tummy time" (laying on the stomach) is still encouraged when the baby is awake and can be monitored by a parent, because this can help strengthen his neck muscles and prevent soft spots on the back of the head.
- For the first six months of your baby's life, he or she should sleep in a crib, cradle, or bassinet in the parents' bedroom. Your baby should not share a bed with you or other children. Babies should not sleep on a sofa, recliner, or any cushioned chair.
- Baby should sleep on a safety-approved crib that has a firm mattress and a fitted sheet. Polystyrene filled cushions, sheepskin baby bedding, and water bedding should not be used.
- Do not place soft objects (such as pillows, comforters, or even stuffed animals) or loose blankets in the baby's crib, because there is a chance that they can end up covering your baby's head and suffocating him or her.
- If your crib set comes with a bumper pad, it should be thin, firm, and securely tied to the crib. Do not use the padded or "pillow-like" varieties of bumper pads.
- If you use a blanket, make sure it is tucked around the crib mattress. It should not be allowed to reach your baby's head. Keep the baby's head uncovered at all times. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that you use sleep clothing instead of blankets to avoid overheating.
- Keep the room temperature where baby is sleeping at a comfortable level. If your baby starts sweating around the neck or face, this may be a sign of he or she is too warm. When this occurs, use fewer covers.
- Let baby use a pacifier. But if your baby doesn't want it or it falls out of his mouth during sleep, don't force it back in. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that breastfeeding mothers wait until the baby is one month of age before using a pacifier.
- Smoking mothers should avoid smoking inside the home or in enclosed spaces, such as the car. Do not allow baby to be around secondhand smoke.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend using products that claim to reduce your baby's risk of SIDS, because no products have been proven to reduce SIDS risk.
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