What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden undetermined death of an infant after thorough tests, an autopsy, examining the scene, and the family’s medical history. Usually when SIDS occurs the child has been put to sleep and doesn’t wake up. SIDS is also known as cot death and crib death. Sudden Undetermined Death in Infancy has been used a lot more than SIDS because coroners would rather use the word undetermined. There has been an amazing decrement of 50% in the SIDS death rate since the start of the Back To Sleep campaign in 1994. Its campaign aimed at getting parents to lay there infants on their backs when the put them to sleep. This campaign is supported by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and National Institute of Health. Many believe that It’s just shifting that’s occurring, the shift in diagnosis instead of the deaths declining.
There are ways to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The most common way is concentrating on how the child sleeps. You should start your newborn out sleeping on his or her back as early as possible. For instance, babies that sleep on their back have less chances of apnea, retaining heat, and high levels of carbon dioxide. Make sure there are no toys, pillows, or anything soft in your child’s crib that could possibly cause suffocation. Do not smoke or use any drugs, get medical care early in your pregnancy and wait at least a year between each child.When you put the child to sleep make sure that you clothe the baby enough to keep him/her warm and try not to use a blanket but also don’t overheat the baby which will increase SIDS. Breast-feeding decreases chances of infections and disease.
Keeping your child out of crowds where your child’s can be open to airborne pathogens and allowing everyone to hold your newborn can leave your baby open to infections. Have a firm mattress for you child to lye on and don’t put your child in an adult bed, all of these practices can help your lower your infants chances of SIDS.SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion meaning all other possibilities are ruled out and the child must die suddenly with no signs of suffering.
