Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Causes and Preventions

Research Behind Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Causes and Preventions

Sudden infant death syndrome, most of the time called SIDS, is diagnosed when an otherwise healthy baby simply goes to sleep and never wakes up again. Perhaps because there is no known cause, and because seemingly healthy babies die from SIDS, it’s one of the single most devastating infant issues for parent.

The sudden death of a baby must occur before the child is one year of age for the death to be characterized as SIDS. Also an autopsy is also done to rule out other issues, such as abuse, or illness. If no other reasonable cause of death is found during an infant’s autopsy than the death is defined as SIDS.

Currently SIDS has no known cause. What research has been able to narrow down are probable causes, risks factors for SIDS, issues that don’t cause SIDS, and some good preventative measures that parents and caregivers can take to decrease the risk of SIDS occurring.

Probable Causes of SIDS

What current researchers believe about sudden infant death syndrome causes and preventions is that there are some probable causes. Probable, as in not proven, but it’s the best information available that is related to causes of SIDS. Almost all research relates that many issues together, rather than one issue alone, likely cause a SIDS death.

The Mayo Clinic reports that one probable cause may be the long QT syndrome. Long QT syndrome is a tiny but significant electrical disturbance of the heart. Long QT can’t explain all incidences of SIDS, but one study found that around one in ten babies who die of SIDS had this heart defect. Long QT syndrome has a medical test that can be done with ECG, but it’s unclear how science plans to use this information to prevent SIDS. Currently treatments for long QT syndrome are rather involved and don’t always work.

Another probable cause of SIDS is a brainstem abnormality. A 2006 research study discovered that many babies who have died of SIDS have this abnormality. More research is needed, but scientists think that the abnormality affects the brain’s ability to properly use serotonin. Serotonin allows for communication between brain cells and also helps to regulate breathing and blood pressure.

Issues That Don’t Cause SIDS

• Your baby can’t catch SIDS from another baby.
• SIDS is not thought to be a heredity issue. So if a baby’s sibling died of SIDS, that does not increase their chances of dieing from SIDS.
• Immunizations don’t promote a risk for SIDS.
• Sleep apnea in infants used to be associated with SIDS but is now thought of as a separate issue.
• No one can predict a baby who will die from SIDS before hand.

Prevention Tactics for Parents

While research has limited information about actual sudden infant death syndrome causes and preventions, there are plenty of known risk and prevention factors. These factors have been compiled over the year from scientists who research babies who have died from SIDS, so they are reliable.

Known tactics for lowering the risk of SIDS include:

• Don’t smoke while pregnant or around your baby after she’s born.
• Receive adequate prenatal care while pregnant.
• Breastfeed your baby for at least six months, but a year is best.
• Remove all bedding, stuffed toys, and pillows from your baby’s crib at night.
• If you co-sleep, use safe co-sleeping techniques.
• Make sure that your pregnancy weight gain is sufficient – studies show a low weight gain for mothers can increase risks for SIDS.
• Allow your baby to sleep with a pacifier.

And the number one prevention tactic for SIDS:

The single biggest known prevention tactic for SIDS is placing your baby on her back to sleep – each and every time she goes to sleep. The Back to Sleep campaign started over ten years ago. In those ten years, proper newborn baby sleep habits, such as “back to sleep” seem to have reduced the incidences of SIDS.

Along with the back to sleep campaign, it’s important to realize that side sleeping is thought to be even more dangerous than tummy sleeping. Some studies note that side sleeping can actually double the SIDS risk for babies.

Visit the Back To Sleep Campaign to learn about the safest ways for your baby to sleep.