Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): How to "Safe to Sleep"? Updated 2024

Updated at: 04-03-2022 - By: Jane

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a syndrome in which a healthy baby under the age of a year suddenly dies while sleeping for no apparent reason. Because infants frequently die in their cribs, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is also known as crib death.

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SIDS appears to be linked to abnormalities in the part of an infant’s brain that governs respiration and waking from sleep, even if the exact etiology of SIDS remains a mystery.

You are reading: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): 10 Steps to Help Prevent SIDS

Researchers have identified a number of potential risk factors for newborns. In addition, they’ve found steps you may take to help prevent SIDS in your child. Putting your kid to sleep on his or her back is probably the most critical.

What Is SIDS?

When a baby younger than one year old suddenly and unexpectedly dies, it is known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Because most SIDS deaths occur while people are sleeping, the condition is still referred to as “crib death.”

Who Is at Risk for SIDS?

Temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit are associated with a spike in the number of deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

SIDS may be more common in infants if one or more of the following conditions are met:

during and after birth, their mother smoked, drank, or used drugs.
Poor prenatal care was given to their mother before she became pregnant with them.
They were born too early or had a low weight for their gestational age.
SIDS has a history of befalling members of my family.
The majority of their mothers were under the age of 20 at the time of their births.
After birth, they’re exposed to secondhand smoking.
There is a problem with their overheating.

The symptoms that a disease or condition produces are used by doctors to make a diagnosis. When all other causes of death have been ruled out, SIDS is identified. True SIDS deaths can be distinguished from those caused by accidents, abuse or previously undiscovered medical issues. This review helps distinguish between these two types of deaths.

Why Is Stomach Sleeping Dangerous?

Babies who are placed on their stomachs to sleep have a higher risk of dying from SIDS than those who are placed on their backs. In addition, babies should not be put to sleep on their backs. While sleeping, a newborn can simply roll over from the side of the body to the belly.

The airway may become obstructed if you sleep on your stomach, according to some researchers. Sleeping on the stomach can lead to an increase in “rebreathing”—the practice of a baby breathing in their own exhaled air—especially if the baby sleeps in an area with soft mattress or bedding. Oxygen levels fall as the baby rebreathes exhaled air, and carbon dioxide levels rise.

It is possible that infants who die from SIDS may have a problem with the area of the brain that controls breathing and awakening when they sleep. Stale air and not obtaining enough oxygen might cause a newborn to wake up and cry in order to get more oxygen from the brain. As a result, oxygen levels will drop and carbon dioxide will rise in the body.

“Back to Sleep” campaign was launched by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) as a response to the findings of the study.

Place infants on their backs until they are 12 months old. There’s nothing wrong with older infants not sleeping on their backs all night long. If a baby is able to roll from front to back and back to front on a consistent basis, they can sleep in any position they like. SIDS is not reduced by the use of positioners, wedges, and similar devices.

Common Concerns

As a result, some parents are concerned about “flat-head syndrome” (positional plagiocephaly). Babies that spend too much time sleeping on their backs acquire a flat patch on the back of their heads at this stage. This has been more widespread after the “Back to Sleep” campaign. However, adjusting a baby’s posture in the crib and allowing them more supervised “tummy time” while they are awake are simple ways to alleviate the problem.

Some parents are concerned that babies sleeping on their backs will choke on spit-up or vomit if they are placed in that position. Sleeping on one’s back does not enhance a baby’s risk of choking, whether they are healthy or have gastroesophageal reflux (GER). Babies with some forms of unusual airway disorders may be advised to sleep on their stomachs by their doctors.

If parents have questions regarding the optimum posture for their infant to sleep in, they should consult their child’s pediatrician.

Causes

An newborn’s risk of dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) can be increased by a variety of physical and sleep-related variables. Each youngster has their own unique set of circumstances.

Physical factors

SIDS is connected with a number of physical characteristics, including:

Defects in the brain SIDS is the leading cause of infant death in the United States. The part of the brain that regulates breathing and waking up from sleep is still immature in many of these infants.
Low weight at birth. When a kid is born early or is part of a multiple birth, his or her brain may not have fully formed, making it more difficult for him or her to govern basic activities like breathing and heart rate.
Respiratory infection. Numerous infants who succumbed to SIDS had previously been suffering from a cold, which may have contributed to their respiratory issues.

Sleep environmental factors

Respiratory infection. Numerous infants who succumbed to SIDS had previously been suffering from a cold, which may have contributed to their respiratory issues.

Respiratory infection. Numerous infants who succumbed to SIDS had previously been suffering from a cold, which may have contributed to their respiratory issues.
inflammation of the lungs Having a cold recently may have contributed to breathing problems in many of the infants who died of SIDS in the past..
Having a bed to sleep in together. Infants who share a bed with parents, siblings, or pets are more likely to suffer from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) than those who sleep alone.
Overheating. SIDS is more likely to occur if a baby sleeps in a room that is too hot.

Risk factors

Researchers have identified many characteristics that may raise a baby’s risk of developing sudden infant death syndrome, despite the fact that it can affect any infant. Included are:

Sex. SIDS claims the lives of a boy at a slightly higher rate than a girl.
Age. Between the ages of two and four, infants are at their most vulnerable.
Race. Nonwhite infants are more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) for unknown causes.
The history of one’s ancestors. An increased risk of SIDS is seen in babies whose siblings or relatives died in infancy from the same cause.
Contaminated air. SIDS is more likely to occur in babies whose mothers smoke.
Being too early. The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is increased in babies who are born prematurely or with a low birth weight.

Maternal risk factors

It’s important to remember that the mother’s lifestyle during pregnancy can affect her baby’s risk of SIDS.

not quite the age of 20
His habit is to light up.
Uses intoxicants or drugs
Is there insufficient prenatal care?

10 Steps to Help Prevent SIDS

Put a Sleeping Baby on Their Back

SIDS is more likely to occur if your baby is sleeping on their side or stomach. (A baby can turn over to their stomach if they are placed on their side.) Smothering may occur if your baby’s face is pressed against the mattress or sleeping space.

Firm Bed, No Soft Toys or Bedding

Always place your infant in a crib or bassinet on a firm mattress or surface to prevent smothering or suffocating. All your baby’s crib requires is a fitted sheet; don’t clutter it up with extra bedding such as comforters or pillows or stuffed animals or even crib bumpers.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission can be contacted at 800-638-2772 or at www.cpsc.gov to verify the safety of your baby’s mattress or crib.

Don’t Smoke Around Your Baby

Pregnant women who smoke are at a higher risk of having a miscarriage or stillbirth. Babies born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy are three times more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have a baby who dies from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Tobacco smoke should not be allowed in the vicinity of your child.

Keep Your Sleeping Baby Close, but Not in Your Bed

Having a baby in the same room as mom reduces the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In contrast, it’s harmful for a baby to share a bed with another child or an adult.

When you’re ready to go to bed, return your baby to their cradle, bassinet, or crib if they’ve been in your bed for comforting or breastfeeding. Do not nurse if you are exhausted since you may fall asleep while sitting down.

When you’re exhausted or taking medication that affects your sleep, don’t bring your infant to bed with you.

Breastfeed as Long as You Can

The incidence of SIDS is reduced by as much as 50 percent when a mother breastfeeds her child, but doctors don’t know why this occurs. Breast milk may be able to protect newborns from infections that increase their risk of SIDS, according to some. The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is increased in mothers who drink alcohol during breastfeeding. Adding a personal touch like this can make a difference. Your baby’s development is greatly aided by skin-to-skin contact.

Immunize Your Baby

Shockingly, babies who have been immunized in compliance with American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and CDC recommendations have a 50% lower incidence of SIDS.

Consider Using a Pacifier to Put Baby to Sleep

SIDS may also be prevented by placing the child in bed with a pacifier; researchers are unsure why this is the case. When using a pacifier, be sure to keep these things in mind:

Wait until your kid is at least a month old before using a pacifier if you are nursing. Your infant may prefer the pacifier’s nipple over yours if you introduce a pacifier too early.
The pacifier should not be forced upon your child.
Ensure that you remove the pacifier before you put your baby down for the night so that they don’t wake up with it in their mouth.
If the nipple of the pacifier is broken, replace it.
Do not put honey, alcohol, or anything else on the pacifier.

Keep Your Baby From Overheating

Overheating can increase your baby’s risk of SIDS, so outfit your baby in light, loose-fitting sleepwear and set the thermostat to a temperature you’d prefer for yourself.

Dress your infant in a “onesie,” pajamas that cover all four extremities except the head and feet, or put them in a “sleep sack” if you’re concerned about their warmth (a wearable blanket). But don’t use a standard blanket because your kid could get tangled in it or pull the blanket over their face.

Steer Clear of Products That Claim to Reduce the Risk of SIDS

It’s best to avoid any product that says it can lower your baby’s risk of SIDS, because they haven’t been proven safe or effective. Electronic respirators and cardiac monitors haven’t been shown to lessen the incidence of SIDS, so stay away from those as well.

Don’t Give Honey to an Infant Under 1 Year Old

Any product that claims to reduce the risk of SIDS should be avoided because it has not been demonstrated to be safe or effective. Electronic respirators and cardiac monitors haven’t been shown to lessen the incidence of SIDS, so stay away from those as well.

Any product that claims to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS should be avoided because it has not been proven safe and effective. Because they haven’t been shown to lower the risk of SIDS, cardiac monitoring and electronic respirators should likewise be avoided.

What Is “Safe to Sleep”?

It’s advised to avoid any product that claims to reduce the risk of SIDS because they have not been proven safe or beneficial. Because they haven’t been demonstrated to lower the incidence of SIDS, cardiac monitoring and electronic respirators should be avoided too.

SIDS and other sleep-related deaths can be prevented by following these tips:

Prenatal care should begin as soon as possible and be ongoing.
Your infant should sleep on a hard mattress, not a soft surface like a cushion or a waterbed or sheepskin.
No extra bedding should be used to cover the mattress other than a fitted sheet. Don’t bring any soft or loose bedding into the bedroom.
Bumper pads should never be used in a crib. It is possible to suffocate or strangle yourself with bumper pads.
Share a room but don’t sleep in the same bed. In order to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), doctors advise parents to keep their newborns in the room with them, but in a bassinet or crib adjacent to the bed, until the kid turns one year old, or for at least six months.
Breastfeed if you can. Breastfeeding in any form has been demonstrated to lessen the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Put your baby to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of his or her life. Don’t impose the pacifier on a baby who doesn’t want it. You don’t have to replace the pacifier if it slips out while you’re sleeping. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is firmly established.
Put your baby to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of his or her life. Don’t impose the pacifier on a baby who doesn’t want it. You don’t have to replace the pacifier if it slips out while you’re sleeping. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is firmly established.
Put your baby to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of his or her life. Don’t impose the pacifier on a baby who doesn’t want it. You don’t have to replace the pacifier if it slips out while you’re sleeping. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is firmly established.
Put your baby to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of his or her life. Don’t impose the pacifier on a baby who doesn’t want it. You don’t have to replace the pacifier if it slips out while you’re sleeping. If you’re breastfeeding, wait until breastfeeding is firmly established.
Put your infant to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of life. If your baby refuses to take the pacifier, don’t make him take it any more often. You don’t have to get a new pacifier if your child’s drops theirs in their sleep. Be patient if you’re breast-feeding, and wait until it’s established.

Put your infant to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of life. If your baby refuses to take the pacifier, don’t make him take it any more often. You don’t have to get a new pacifier if your child’s drops theirs in their sleep. Refrain from introducing solid foods to your baby while you’re still nursing.

Put your baby to sleep with a pacifier for the first year of his or her life. Don’t impose the pacifier on a baby who doesn’t want it. You don’t have to replace the pacifier if it slips out while you’re sleeping. Refrain from introducing solid foods to your infant while you’re still nursing.

Source: https://bestpillowsleepers.com
Category: Sleep Advisors

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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): 10 Steps to Help Prevent SIDS