Sudden Infant Death Syndrome | Prevention Tips To Avoid SIDS.

As the name suggests, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) refers to the unexpected death of a baby. This syndrome usually occurs during sleep: a healthy baby falls asleep and stops breathing, with no apparent medical cause. Sudden infant death syndrome occurs before the age of 1, most often between 2 and 4 months.

We don’t always understand what causes SIDS, but we know more and more about how to reduce the risk. However, some recent studies hypothesize that, in affected children, brainstem cells containing serotonin are abnormal and do not produce enough protection against respiratory difficulty during sleep.

It is possible to effectively reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome by following the following recommendations:

Babies Should Sleep On Their Backs

We can’t say it enough, even if your baby seems to sleep better on his stomach and even if your grandmother worries that he will regurgitate in his sleep, a baby should always sleep on his back until one year old.

Babies should be placed on their backs until 12 months of age.

Choose a Good Bed

A crib must be solid, have bars and a firm mattress adapted to the size of the bed. In addition, it is still possible to find in bazaars and attics beds that no longer have the regulatory space between the bars, which means that a baby could get his head stuck in them. When buying a used bed, make sure that the space between the bars does not exceed 6 cm.

A good crib is the safest place for your baby to sleep.

Watch Out For The Baby Playpen!

Even if a playpen is not as comfortable as a bed, it is better to avoid adding a mattress that is not designed for this purpose. Since the dimensions are not the same, your baby could get stuck between the mattress and the edge of the playpen and have difficulty breathing.

Baby Should Sleep Alone!

Never let your baby sleep with another child, an adult who is not their parent or in the company of an animal.

Avoid Overheating Your Baby’s Room.

Keep the room at a comfortable temperature (20°C or 21°C [68°F or 70°F]). The high temperatures during heat waves could also be among the causes of SIDS. This is the hypothesis that emerges from a study conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Montreal.

The chance of SIDS is higher in babies who get too hot.

Don’t Smoke

It seems that the risk of SIDS is higher in the case of children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy or in the case of children exposed to smoke during the first months of their life.

Smoking during pregnancy affects you and your baby’s health before, during, and after your baby is born.

Doing Some Exercise

When you have the chance, place your awake baby on his stomach so he can train his neck and arms. The stronger his muscles, the less likely he is to get stuck in the bed.

Breastfeeding Can Protect Your Baby

According to the Public Health Agency, breastfeeding, even for a short time, plays a role in preventing sudden infant death syndrome.

The longer an infant is breastfed, the greater the protection from certain illnesses and long-term diseases.

Vigilance!

Many mothers feel overwhelmed by all the information and advice given to them. Since we became aware of the risk factors, the number of sudden deaths has fallen to less than 1 case per 2000 births. Better to follow the advice to the letter because a year goes by quickly!

Dr James S Pendergraft | Orlando Women’s Center