What Is SIDS And Causes Of SIDS

What is SIDS?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a rare condition that results in the unexpected death of an infant younger than 1 year. It usually happens before 6 months, and the peak of occurrence is between 2 to 4 months.

SIDS (Sudden infant death syndrome) is an unexplainable death during a babies sleep.

Some babies for some reason do not wake themselves up if they aren’t breathing. SIDS is something that Pediatrician haven’t been able to explain. Babies that appear to be healthy might die from SIDS.


What causes SIDS?

SIDS is honestly not a real condition, it literally means Sudden Infant Death for which they don’t know the cause. Accidental suffocation is the most common cause of this kind of death, but it is usually called SIDS to the parents to alleviate blame and guilt. However, we do know many possible causes for so many SIDS cases.

There are so many possible causes that to nail it down to just one is near to impossible. Babies are rather fragile early on and are susceptible to many factors out of their control. I mean they can’t roll right off the bat, don’t have efficient use of their hands and cannot pick up their heads. As accidental suffocation is the most likely cause, it’s likely that the infant just got into a situation that they couldn’t get out of.


• Don’t smoke in the home

Infants who are around cigarette smoke, not only active (visible) but also passive (the presence of smoke on clothing and bedding), have a much higher risk of SIDS. So Pediatrician recommends no smoking around newborn or infant, and avoid spending time with other caregivers who smoke.

• Put your baby in the proper sleeping position.

All infants should sleep on their back. The back sleep position is the safest position for all babies until they are 1 year old. Babies who are used to sleeping on their backs, but who are then placed to sleep on their stomachs, like for a nap, are at very high risk for SIDS. Preemies (infants born preterm) should be placed on their backs to sleep as soon as possible after birth.

• Avoid co-sleeping

Having your infant cuddled up in bed with you may feel comforting and protective. Sometimes keeping him in bed if he falls asleep while feeding just seems easier. Unfortunately, co-sleeping becoming the most frequently found risk factor contributing to SIDS.

Here in USA pediatrician encourage parents to let their infant sleep as close to them as they want but in a separate bassinet or crib and not in bed with them. Also, infants should not sleep on the sofa, chair, or any other location not designed for infant sleep.

However, now the SIDS rate has decreased due to awareness. The largest decline in SIDS rates occurred between 1992 and 1999. Between 1994, when the Safe to Sleep® campaign (formerly known as the Back to Sleep campaign) started. SIDS progress. This campaign is working well and it reduced the risk of SIDS.

In next post will discuss how to prevent SIDS and a different way to be SIDS safe.