New ways to help prevent SIDS

February 27, 2:05 PMDenver Early Childhood Parenting ExaminerMeredith Jameson

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Denver Early Childhood Parenting Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Fotosearch.com

As parents, we've all probably heard advice on how to help prevent SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

SIDS is both baffling and terrifying, as it involves the sudden death of an infant with no known cause or precursor. It is most likely to happen in the first 4 months of a child's life.

The good news is that the rate of SIDS has declined in recent years. The bad news is that it still happens. And parents still need to be vigilant about it.

To date, advice on helping prevent SIDS includes always putting your infant to sleep on their back; never allowing your infant to sleep on a soft surface such as a bed with pillows, blankets, etc.; never allowing an infant to sleep on a waterbed (do those even exist anymore?); and preventing overheating, either through clothing, blankets, or an overheated room. These factors all still apply.

In addition, secondhand smoke is thought to be a factor, and keeping stuffed animals and soft blankets and pillows out of a baby's crib or bassinet is also recommended.

There are also some newer suggestions out to help prevent SIDS:

1. Use a pacifier. Recent studies have shown that infants who are given a pacifier at bedtime may potentially reduce their risk for SIDS by half. Experts speculate that the pacifier helps the baby maintain a sleeping position on its back and may also keep the baby from sleeping too deeply.

2.  Use an oscillating fan in your baby's room. Statistics show that parents who use a moving fan when their baby was sleeping reduced the chance of SIDS by 72%. The reason may be that the fan keeps the air moving throughout the room.

3. Breastfeed. Babies who are breastfed are thought to be at a reduced risk of SIDS. Experts speculate that breastmilk itself may offer some protection, and babies who breastfeed may have improved oral control, thereby improving their ability to breathe while sleeping.

4. Have the baby sleep in your room. Some experts also recommend that babies have a crib or bassinet in their parents' room and sleep there. This is not the same as recommending co-sleeping, or bedsharing, in which the baby sleeps in the same bed as the parents. Instead, the baby has its own bed, such as a crib, with a smooth, flat surface free of any soft material such as pillows or stuffed animals, and is placed near the parents. This enables parents to be more aware of their infant and his/her sleep practices.

5. No side sleeping. For awhile, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) avoided the topic of whether or not babies should be placed to sleep on their side. New recommendations from the AAP, however, state that babies should always be placed to sleep on their back, never on their side or stomach. If placed on their side, an infant can still roll onto the stomach, which is a higher-risk position for SIDS.

And finally, although this is not a formal recommendation, parents may wish to consider baby monitors that have a sensor that is placed in the crib with the infant. The sensor monitors the baby's movement (right down to each breath), and an alarm sounds if no movement is detected for 20 seconds (depending upon the make and model of the monitor). Sometimes the alarm itself is enough to startle a baby back to breathing regularly, and will alert the parents regardless.

As always, use your best judgment and make the proper precautions to help keep your child safe. Because nothing is worth more than the safety of your child!

To receive Meredith Jameson's articles on early childhood parenting, click SUBSCRIBE below and type in your email address. Your email will not be shared with anyone else.