Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – Symptoms and causes
It is also known as crib or cot death. More comprehensibly, it is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant who otherwise was healthy and showed no underlying health conditions.
As horrible as the name sounds, the occurrence is just as disturbing for anyone; let alone the parents of a newborn. Unfortunately, SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants between 1 and 12 months old. Really sad, but the truth.
Cot death as the name suggests would usually occur in sleep and yes, again, as always, as parents there are ways to avoid this and to protect those little angels, who just filled their parents’ lives with colour. And no, staring at baby all night (and not getting any sleep!), keeping him/her next to you, is not the solution.
Although not proven, many researches have highlighted on some of the risk factors that can lead to SIDS. Mothers who smoke cigarettes, use drugs, or drink alcohol while pregnant also increases their infant’s risk for SIDS. Babies whose mothers do not receive adequate prenatal care are more likely to die of SIDS than babies whose mothers receive recommended care. So looking after a baby starts from the pregnancy and all your family and partner need to understand this. There are other reasons that have been studied and considered.
When an infant does not get enough oxygen during sleep, the arcuate nucleus (the part of the brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep) triggers a response that causes the baby to wake up, change position, and/or cry. Some researchers believe SIDS may occur when the arcuate nucleus does not function properly.
The best news in all this horror is that there is a lot that can be done to PREVENT SIDS.
And that’s exactly where this DOWNLOADABLE FREE CHECKLIST will help you. Remember to share it with your loved ones and all expecting parents or parents of babies, less than a year. I’d advise to print it and stick it up near your baby’s crib, so whoever is helping you ensures they’re doing all that they can to keep baby safe.
Don’t forget! If you’re delivering at Femcity Women’s Hospital or if you visit your baby’s pediatrician at WellKids by Femcity, they will be happy to help you understand SIDS prevention.
- Do not indulge indrugs, alcohols, and cigarette smoking during pregnancy.
- Avail adequate prenatal care and get all recommended immunizations.
- Keep secondhand smoke and other toxins away from infants.
- Try to put baby to sleep in the same room, but on his/her own bed/crib.
- Follow the guides (in the downloadable checklist) to put baby safely to sleep.
- Consult a pediatrician at WellKids at Femcity for advice on gastroesophageal issues like GERD or for positional plagiocephaly, generally described as a flat spot on the head.
Here’s your guide that includes the following
- Safe Sleeping Baby
- Swaddling Guide
- Safe Sleeping Positions
- Checklist