SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYNDROME (SIDS)

When our children are young, almost all parents fear losing them to SIDS. We keep checking on them if they’re breathing, and the mother loses her sleep due to this fear.

What is SIDS?

SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is the medical condition when a child dies unexpectedly despite being healthy. 

Children under 1-year-old are at the risk of falling prey to this callous condition. 

SIDS is also known as crib death because the baby dies in his sleep. 

We do not have any evidence or research that gives the reasons for their death. But it might be related to a child’s inability to wake up and a change in breathing patterns.

Why is SIDS risk Highest at 1-4 Months?

When the baby is around 1-4 months, there’s a high risk of experiencing SIDS because he does not have a hold of his neck and cannot get on his back by himself.

What Are The Symptoms of SUDDEN INFANT DEATH SYSDROME?

Many parents want to look for symptoms of SIDS so that they can rule it out. But unfortunately, it does not have any symptoms.

As traumatic and callous as it sounds, the child dies while sleeping without any cause. 

Medical examiners can look at the report, but the death caused by SIDS is always unexpected.

What Are The Causes of SIDS?

We know that watching children die with no medical condition is always heartbreaking. One second they would be healthy as any other child, and the other second they would be free of this world without any reason. 

Some physical and environmental factors may lead to death due to SIDS.

Below, we state some of the sleeping hazards that might cause Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

• Soft Bedding: It is not recommended to make your child sleep on a soft mattress with loose blankets. 
• Loose blankets with Pillows: An infant’s crib should not have anything. Pillows and loose blankets may make him suffocate while sleeping.
• Babies Sleeping on their Stomach: It is advised not to make your infant sleep on his side or stomach as they don’t know how to hold their head or roll back on their back—leading to suffocation leading to SIDS.
• Overheating: Making an infant wear too many layers or too hot clothes. 
• An Adult Topples Over an Infant: It is not recommended to make your child sleep beside you as there are high chances of your toppling over him while sleeping.
• Smoking in the Household: If one or both parents smoke in the house, they risk their babies falling prey to SIDS.
• Premature or low birth weight: Babies born early or low birth weight might experience SIDS.

How to Prevent SIDS?

When you make your child sleep, you should be very vigilant. We know that there are no symptoms, and the death is unexpected. We can surely take precautions and prevent SIDS from happening.

• Make the baby sleep on his back.
• Keep the crib free of loose blankets, toys, bumpers, and pillows.
• Make your baby sleep on a firm mattress rather than a soft one.
• Don’t make him sleep beside you 
• Do not overdress him at night. Overheating may cause SIDS.
• You can use a pacifier to prevent SIDS.
• Do not smoke cigarettes inside the house.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome has cost many babies’ lives, and till today parents have feared losing their babies. We can’t control it, but we can surely eradicate the risk factors and help our babies peacefully asleep. 

Pictures credit goes to Istockphoto