October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. SIDS is the unexplained death of a baby. The baby is typically less than a year old and seems to be healthy. Many times this occurs while the baby is sleeping and so it is sometimes referred to as crib death. While the main cause of SIDS is unknown there are some things that researchers have found that can increase or decrease the risk of it happening.
Some of the following are potential causes or risk factors of SIDS:
Brain defects in the infant
Low birth weight or premature birth
Respiratory infection such as a cold
Sleeping on the stomach or side
Sleeping on a surface that is too soft
Sharing a bed with parents, siblings, or pets
Overheating
Age
Race
Family history
Secondhand smoke
Not receiving good medical while the mother was pregnant
While there is no good way to prevent SIDS the following as some factors that may decrease the chance:
Place the baby on their back to sleep
Keep baby’s crib as bare as possible
Don’t use too many blankets or cover baby’s head when putting them to sleep
Have the baby sleep in your room but not in your bed
Look out for products or devices that claim to reduce SIDS
Offer a pacifier
Make sure baby receives their vaccines
There isn’t a sure-fire way to prevent SIDS but being aware of risk factors and causes can help lower the risk of your child experiencing SIDS.
For more information please visit https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sudden-infant-death-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20352800