Boys, black infants and Native American babies tend to be at higher risk than girls or Caucasian infants. SIDS is also more likely to strike in the winter. Are there any warning signs of SIDS? But you can protect your baby by avoiding known risk factors, including:. Safe sleeping practices are at the top of the list, and setting up a healthy sleep environment is the most effective way to keep your little one protected.
While safe sleep practices play the biggest role in SIDS prevention, there are other important protective factors too. These include:. The best thing you can do to reduce the risk for SIDS is by following established safe sleep guidelines, as well as keeping your baby away from cigarette smoke, staying on top of vaccinations and breastfeeding if possible.
In the event of choking, drowning or other serious injuries, knowing how to perform rescue breathing and chest compressions can be life-saving. That said, the older she gets, the more her risk will drop.
Most SIDS cases occur before 4 months, and the vast majority happen before 6 months. Rapid, shallow breaths for 15 to 20 seconds followed by a few seconds of paused breathing are also to be expected. But if at any point you notice something that seems concerning, your pediatrician is a phone call away.
Dealing with a SIDS loss is one of the most heart-wrenching things a parent or family can go through. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.
Cancel Submit. Close this dialog window Review for. Back to story Comment on this project. Tell us what you think Thanks for adding your feedback. All rights reserved. But certain risk factors do exist. Some babies are more at risk than others.
For example, SIDS is more likely to affect a baby who is between 1 and 4 months old, it is more common in boys than girls, and most deaths occur during the fall, winter and early spring months. While the cause of SIDS is unknown, many clinicians and researchers believe that SIDS is associated with problems in the ability of the baby to arouse from sleep, to detect low levels of oxygen, or a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood.
When babies sleep face down, they may re-breathe exhaled carbon dioxide. Normally, rising carbon dioxide levels activate nerve cells in the brainstem, which stimulate the brain's respiratory and arousal centers. The baby then wakes up, turns his head, and breathes faster to get more oxygen. When considering which babies could be most at risk, no single thing is likely to cause a SIDS death.
Rather, several risk factors might combine to cause an at-risk infant to die of SIDS. Most SIDS deaths happen in babies 2 to 4 months old, and cases rise during cold weather. More boys than girls fall victim to SIDS. Doctors diagnose most health problems based on the symptoms they cause. But most SIDS diagnoses come only after all other possible causes of death have been ruled out.
This review helps tell true SIDS deaths from those due to accidents, abuse, and previously undiagnosed conditions, such as cardiac or metabolic disorders. SIDS is more likely among babies placed on their stomachs to sleep than among those sleeping on their backs.
Babies also should not be placed on their sides to sleep. A baby can easily roll from a side position onto the belly during sleep. Some researchers believe that stomach sleeping may block the airway and hurt breathing. Stomach sleeping can increase "rebreathing" — when a baby breathes in his or her own exhaled air — particularly if the infant is sleeping on a soft mattress or with bedding, stuffed toys, or a pillow near the face.
As the baby rebreathes exhaled air, the oxygen level in the body drops and the level of carbon dioxide rises. Infants who die from SIDS may have a problem with the part of the brain that helps control breathing and waking during sleep. If a baby is breathing stale air and not getting enough oxygen, the brain usually triggers the baby to wake up and cry to get more oxygen. If the brain is not picking up this signal, oxygen levels will continue to fall.
In response to evidence that stomach sleeping might contribute to SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics AAP created its "Back to Sleep" campaign, which recommended that all healthy infants younger than 1 year of age be placed on their backs to sleep.
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