Your Infant and SIDS

By Christine Hasinger, LAc, DOM

In the United States, there are over 2,500 families that weep every year after parents find their sleeping babies dead. The pain and the anguish is just too heavy to bear, and it may take a lifetime or more to recover.

The culprit to be blamed for these situations is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).   SIDS usually kills babies less than a year old. This used to be called Crib Death. The death tends to be unexplained even with clinical history checks, autopsy findings and a thorough investigation. The baby is usually found dead while sleeping, and does not seem to have suffered.

There are some factors that are associated to the occurrence of SIDS. These may include:

• Prenatal complications
• Mother’s abuse of drugs such as heroin during pregnancy
• Exposure to smoke
• Inadequate care and nutrition during pregnancy
• Teenage pregnancy
• Heatstroke due to excessive clothing.
• Soft sleeping surfaces
• Gender (61 % of SIDS victims are males)
• Age (babies within 2-4 months old are more prone)
• Weight (underweight babies are more prone to die of SIDS)

Nevertheless, concerned organizations like the American Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Institute have made it possible to lessen the impact of SIDS in the society. In fact, there has been 50 percent decrease of infant deaths that can be associated to SIDS from 1985 to the present.

With all of this in mind, it is safe to conclude that SIDS can be avoided if parents are well informed and are well prepared when faced or are at risk with this infant menace. And even simple sleeping habits can help in minimizing unexpected infant deaths.

Here are some things to know and tips to follow to keep your babies safe from SIDS.

1. Keep your baby in a safe sleeping position. Most parents allow their children to sleep on their stomachs because their children sleep more soundly in that manner. However, in this case, safety of the baby is compromised.

It is safer for babies to lie on their backs than on the sides or stomach when they sleep. They have more chances to wake themselves or others especially during sleep apnea (or when breathing is held). There will also be fewer chances for babies to inhale what they have just exhaled or your babies suffocating. The risk of SIDS is minimized this way.

2. Use firm and sturdy mattresses

3. Extra support on the bedding of your child minimizes the risk of suffocation since the child cannot turn their bodies to sleep on their stomachs.

Also, the use of sleep sacks is becoming more popular in preventing SIDS. This prevents the baby from turning from back to front when they are sleeping. It also functions as a blanket to keep your baby warm. The use of loose blankets may cause babies to suffocate the instance they cover the face.

4. Keep excess things away from the baby’s bedding.

When a baby moves while he is sleeping, there can be no way in telling where his face would land. Therefore,  if there are lots of things in his bed, it is possible that these things will come in contact to his face, cover it, and suffocate him.

5. Keep close watch on your baby there are instances when you have to leave your sleeping baby for a while. But you can still be assured of their safety when you use baby monitors.

6. As much as possible never leave babies unattended, even when they are asleep.

During early months, it is advisable to have someone close to the baby to check on him or her once in a while. You never know when emergencies will happen, and you do not want your baby to face it alone.

7. Sleep with infants but use caution Keeping close to your baby does not mean that you have to sleep together on a couch or a bed. Studies show that parents who do this are putting their babies at risk for SIDS.

If you really want to let your baby sleep in an adult bed with you, purchase accessories like bed top and bedside devices that will ensure the safety of your baby.

Fighting SIDS may not be easy, but it starts in that one step: securing your baby and his sleeping habits.