|
| |
 |
October
is
SIDS* Awareness Month*Sudden
Infant Death Syndrome
|
| From
the SIDS Alliance |
| What
is SIDS? |
Can
SIDS be prevented? |
| What
causes SIDS? |
Reducing
risk of SIDS |
|
Previous
Health Topics |
|
Translate
this page to another language! |
| What
Is SIDS? |
|
Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a medical disorder that claims the
lives of nearly 2,500 babies one month to one year of age in
the U.S. each year. Once known as crib death, these infant
deaths remain unexplained after all known causes have been
ruled out through autopsy, death scene investigation, and
medical history. SIDS affects families of all races,
religions, and income levels. It occurs during sleep, and
strikes without warning. Its victims appear to be healthy.
Neither parents nor doctors can tell which babies will die.
The first year of life is a time of rapid growth and
development when any baby may be vulnerable to SIDS.
Back
to Top
|
|
What
Causes SIDS? |
|
We do yet not know exactly how
or why SIDS happens, although researchers are making great
progress in identifying deficits, behaviors, and other factors
that may put an infant at higher risk. Scientists are
exploring the development and function of the nervous system,
the brain, the heart, breathing and sleep patterns, body
chemical balances, autopsy findings, and environmental
factors. Researchers at Harvard and Dartmouth have, in fact,
isolated a neurochemical defect in a portion of the brain of
SIDS victims that controls the infant's protective responses
to changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. It appears
likely that SIDS may be caused by some subtle developmental
delay, an anatomical defect or functional failure. SIDS, like
other medical disorders, may eventually have more than one
explanation and more than one means of prevention. This may
explain why the characteristics of SIDS babies seem so varied.
Back
to Top |
| Can
SIDS be prevented? |
|
Despite
some recent claims, there is no product that can stop SIDS
from happening. However, studies from around the world have
made real headway in identifying factors commonly associated
with SIDS, such as passive smoke exposure, stomach sleeping,
and soft bedding. Risk factors can play an important part in
the chain of events culminating in a SIDS death. In some
cases, the elimination of a risk factor can alter the outcome,
influencing the baby's ability to survive. Since 1992, when
the Back To Sleep advisory was first announced, the rate of
SIDS has dropped more than 50%, the equivalent of sparing the
lives of 3,000 infants every year in the U.S.
Back
to Top
|
| Reducing
risk of SIDS** |
- Place your baby on the
back to sleep at night and naptime.
- Use a firm mattress,
covered with only a sheet, in a safety approved crib.
- Remove all soft and loose
bedding from your baby's sleep area. This includes
pillows, blankets, comforters, bumper pads, sheepskins,
positioners, toys and all other soft products.
- Consider using a HALO™
SleepSack™ wearable blanket, or other type of sleeper,
as a safe alternative to loose blankets.
- Do not place your baby to
sleep on a sofa, waterbed, pillow, soft mattress or any
other soft surface.
- Keep your baby's face
clear of coverings.
- Be careful not to
overheat your baby with excessive clothing, bedding or
room temperature.
- Don't allow anyone to
smoke around your baby.
- Educate babysitters, day
care providers, grandparents and everyone who cares for
your baby about reducing the risk of infant death.
- And don't forget to enjoy
your new baby!
Back
to Top |
| **Considerations
While we are hopeful that
following these recommendations will save lives, we know that
following them faithfully will not prevent all SIDS deaths.
Things can still go wrong even when parents do everything
right. The fact is that many SIDS victims have no known risk
factors; and, most babies with one or more risk factors will
survive. It is important that, since the underlying causes of
SIDS remain unknown, research must continue if we are to
discover how and why SIDS occurs, and expand upon these and
other risk factors.
Researchers ask questions about how babies who die of SIDS
might be different from babies who do not. These differences
are often referred to as risk factors. Risk factors are not
causes of SIDS, but they may provide clues to what causes SIDS
and why some infants are more vulnerable.
Statistics tell us that more babies die of SIDS during the
cold weather months. Babies who sleep on their stomachs have
an increased risk of SIDS. We also know that more babies die
of SIDS whose mothers smoked during and after pregnancy. The
younger the mother, the greater baby's risk for SIDS. Boys are
at higher risk than girls. And SIDS occurs most often in
infants two to four months of age. In fact, 90% of all SIDS
babies are under six months of age. There is also a higher
likelihood of SIDS among premature and low birth weight
infants; twins and higher multiples.
- SIDS is not contagious.
- SIDS is not caused by
immunizations.
- SIDS is not caused by child
abuse.
|
|
For more information,
please visit the SIDS Alliance or call 1-800-221-SIDS
|
|
Translate this page into another language!
|
|
|
Back
to Top |
