Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – also known simply as SIDS – is the most horrifying things that can happen to a newborn and their parents. SIDS is defined as being when a child dies for no apparent reason within a year of being born. The causes of this problem are still unknown, but when SIDS strikes it seems to be related to the natural recovery mechanisms of a child. They haven’t developed properly and so a child is unable to wake themselves when they sleep face down or their breathing becomes obstructed for some reason and they aren’t getting enough oxygen.
It’s impossible to predict how at-risk of SIDS a child is, although the occurrence of SIDS has declined in the past decade. One way to help prevent SIDS is to create a safe sleeping environment for your child.
Babies should be put to bed on their backs for the first year of their life. If they sleep on their sides, then put them in a position where they have an arm forward to prevent them from rolling over on to their stomach. You can buy soft foam wedges for this. They keep the baby in place without making them uncomfortable.
Avoid using loose and fluffy bedding, and ensure that the child’s face isn’t obstructed by anything. Avoid overheating the baby by over-dressing them or wrapping them in too many layers of bedding. Don’t smoke near the baby and don’t allow others to do the same. Ensure that you have a safety-approved crib and the child is using a firm mattress.
There are some monitoring systems available that will alert you if your child stops breathing. There are other indications to keep an eye out for too, including:
- If your baby was born premature
- If your baby has had life-threatening episodes, such as something that required resuscitation or made them turn blue
- If any other children you’ve had died from SIDS
Be sure to keep any appointments related to your baby to make sure they have all their immunizations and their lungs are developing properly.