Preventing Crib Deaths

Every year, in the United States alone, over 8,000 to 10,000 infants die - not because of accidents or infec¬tious diseases; they simply don't wake up from sleep.

"This condition is called sudden infant death syn¬drome (SIDS) and it is the most common cause of death during infancy. SIDS usually occurs in boys during the third or fourth month of life. Its cause remains a mystery. Typically, a seemingly healthy infant - most commonly between the ages of two and four months - is put to bed one night and found dead the next morning. Even if an autopsy is performed, the precise cause usually remains a mystery and the parents may be left trying to cope with guilt, wondering what they could have done to prevent their infant's tragic death," said Dr. David E. Larson, editor-in-chief of the “Mayo Clinic Family Health Book.”

Parents should not blame themselves for SIDS for it is not caused by anything they can prevent. Contrary to popular belief, crib death is not the result of smother¬ing in the bedding, choking on vomited food or bottle-feeding. Nor does a slight cold make your child suscep¬tible to SIDS. Instead, an autopsy may reveal certain un¬detected abnormalities.

"Although the search for a single cause of SIDS has not been fruitful, researchers have found several physiological abnormalities that appear more com¬monly in many infants with this syndrome. Among them are central nervous system abnormalities, abnor¬mal heart rates, muscle tone abnormalities, a defect in the autonomic nervous system, and abnormal breath pauses (apnea) during sleep. An autopsy is often very helpful for determining whether a specific cause of death is present," Larson said.

Other factors that may play a role in SIDS are prema¬ture birth, cigarette smoking or the use of cocaine or heroin by the mother during pregnancy, and the weather. More crib deaths occur in cold days than in summer. The condition is also more common in blacks and American Indians.

Studies suggest that the risk of crib death is highest in babies who sleep stomach-down on natural fiber mattresses, especially if they are wrapped tightly and stay in over¬heated rooms. However, not all infants who die of SIDS fit into the above category. Many who don't belong to the high-risk group die of SIDS just the same, suggesting that other factors or a combination of factors may be involved.

“Babies who sleep on their stomachs are much more likely to die of SIDS than are babies who sleep on their backs. At highest risk are babies who are used to sleeping on their backs and are suddenly switched to stomach sleeping. At one time, doctors recommended stomach sleeping because babies rest more soundly in that position. But it's now known that stomach sleeping greatly increases a baby's risk,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

“Researchers are also continuing to investigate the link betwee
SIDS and long QT syndrome, a subtle electrical disturbance in the heart that causes sudden, extremely rapid heart rates. A 2007 study found that almost one in 10 babies who died of SIDS had a genetic defect in one of the genes responsible for long QT syndrome. If you have a history of SIDS in your family, your doctor will want to check for the presence of long QT syndrome in your infant. This can usually be done with an electrocardiogram (ECG) and confirmed, if necessary, with genetic studies,” the Mayo Clinic added.

No matter how you look at it, the death of a child is always a tragic experience and one that is not easily forgotten. To reduce the risk of SIDS, expectant mothers should avoid smoking and using drugs like heroin or cocaine.

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