SIDS
DR: Elijah Pott
What is SIDS?
Sudden infant death syndrome is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs
What puts a baby at risk?
Being born prematurely or at a very low birth weight, Being born to a mother under the age of 20, Having a lot of siblings, especially if they are close in age, Suffering an apparent life threatening event (ALTE), Certain ethnic backgrounds, Being a boy.
Symptoms
- sleeping on the stomach (in the prone position)
- mother who smokes during pregnancy; smokers are as much as three times more likely than nonsmokers to have a SIDS baby
- the presence of passive smoke in the household
- male sex; the male/female ratio in SIDS deaths is 3:2;
- belonging to an economically deprived or minority family
- mother under 20 years of age at pregnancy
- mother who abuses drugs
- mother with little or no prenatal care
- prematurity or low weight at birth
- family history of SIDS
Ways to Prevent SIDS
- Put your baby to sleep on her back.
- Choose bedding carefully.
- Sleep in the same room as your baby.
- Avoid overheating your baby.
- Get regular prenatal care.
- Don't smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs during pregnancy.
- Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke.
- Make sure your baby gets all his vaccinations.
- Breastfeed if you can.
- Offer your baby a pacifier when you put him down to sleep.
Statistics
- SIDS is the leading cause of death for babies 1-12 months old.
- The peak age for SIDS death is 2 -4 months old; 90% occur between 1 – 6 months.
- SIDS is more likely to occur in the winter months (October – April)
- Unaccustomed stomach sleeping increases the risk by 18 – 20 times.
- It can be difficult to distinguish between SIDS and unintentional suffocation.
- Research shows that breastfeeding is protective against SIDS
- SIDS is not caused by immunizations. In fact, if a baby is immunized there is a 50% decreased risk for SIDS.
- SIDS is not the same thing as suffocation.
- SIDS is not caused by vomiting or choking