What You Should Know About SIDS

Some of the scariest things we have to face in life are those things which we have no control over. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome(SIDS) is one of those things. SIDS is defined as the sudden death of a child under the age of one for no apparent reason. No one is really sure how or why SIDS occurs. Many people attribute SIDS to the fact that baby's recovery mechanisms have not yet formed and he can do nothing to stop himself from being smothered if his airway becomes obstructed. This often occurs when baby is put to sleep face down.

No way has yet been found to predict if your baby is a risk for SIDS. Therefore, we must assume that all babies are at risk and must be treated as such. One way to greatly reduce the chance of SIDS is by creating a safe sleep environment for the baby. This is accomplished many different ways.

·Always put baby to sleep on his or her back. Studies have shown that babies who sleep on their stomachs have a greater chance of being taken by SIDS. If you put baby to sleep on his or her side, you should make sure that one of their arms is forward to keep them from rolling onto their stomachs. You can purchase soft foam mats and wedges to help accomplish that.

· You should avoid loose, fluffy bedding that could be pulled accidentally over babies face. If you choose to wrap the baby, make sure you do not overwrap him or dress him too warmly. Research at the University of Calgary has shown that overheating has been attributed to SIDS.

· Do not smoke around your baby. Do not let anyone else smoke around your baby either. We all know how bad smoking is for you, and babies lungs are still growing.

· Make sure that baby has a safe sleep environment. The crib should meet safety standards. The mattress should fit snuggly in the crib, not allowing any room for baby to fall in between. Also, the mattress should be firm, and surrounded by a bumper for the crib, so that baby can not get any parts of his or her body stuck in the spokes.

Monitoring systems are also available that alert you if your baby is not breathing. Some reasons you may want to purchase a system such as this is if the baby was premature, SIDS has occurred in any siblings, or if the baby has had any life-threatening episodes, such as turning blue or requiring mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Although the amount of cases of SIDS has greatly decreased in the last ten years (according to the National Institute of Child Heath and Human Development), it is still something to keep in mind. Follow these steps to ensure that your baby is safe and healthy. Taking baby for regular check ups and getting all of his or her immunizations can also help. Your child is precious, so you must do everything you can to protect him or her.