Stephanie Mayor

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome “SIDS”

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a condition of babies of less than 1 year of

age. This can also be known as a “crib death” due to the fact that babies usually die in

their cribs. These babies die spontaneously, with no probable explanation as to what

caused their death. Clinicians are associating it with babies being born with defects in

the parts of the brain that controls breathing and sleep. However, this theory has not

been proven.

Since there is not sure cause, there can be no definitive prevention of this

situation. There are, however, some guidelines that can be followed and may help

prevent the occurrence of SIDS. These include having a baby sleep on their back,

having your baby sleep on a firm surface, having them sleep in their OWN bed and not

with another person or pet who could crush them or impair airflow. Lastly, watching the

baby to ensure it does not overheat.

Risk factors, for babies, that have been noted are male babies, infants in the

second and fourth month of life, nonwhite, family history, secondhand smoke, and

being born premature. Maternal risk factors include being less than 20 years old,

smoking cigarettes, using drugs or alcohol, and having inadequate prenatal care.

Additional tips that l found that are recommended are breastfeeding your baby,

immunizing your baby, offering the baby a pacifier, and not using monitors or any

devices that claim to reduce the incidence of SIDS. These devices have given little

evidence to prove that they are effective and are therefore concerned a safety concern.