Without Warning: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is a fatal condition that strikes without warning, killing more than 2,500 babies each year in the United States alone. SIDS is neither a disease nor a disorder. Rather, it's the term applied to the immediate death of a newborn between the ages of four weeks and twelve months old, when normal autopsy procedures indicate no other cause of death. The child is put down to sleep and never wakes up, without warning signs or telltale evidence afterwards.

SIDS most commonly occurs in babies between two and four months old, with 90 percent of cases reported in babies less than six months. Because it most often happens at night, the syndrome is often referred to as crib death in the United States or cot death in the United Kingdom. However, research shows that as much as 20 percent of SIDS cases happen at day care and nursery centers.

No Definite Cause, but Lots of Indicators

SIDS has proven frustrating to medical researchers, who despite exhaustive efforts have so far been unable to pin down its exact nature and biological cause. The majority of research so far has run the gamut from testing genetics to searching for brain disorders to environmental factors such as sleeping arrangements and home air quality. Nonetheless, promising leads have emerged that help identify a range of high risk factors.

Babies that have recently undergone some form of trauma or accident – what doctors refer to as an "apparently life threatening event (ALTE)" are considered at risk for SIDS, as their respiratory system recovers from the shock. Events including the baby turning blue and having trouble breathing are examples of ALTE's.

Some of the most telling research into SIDS susceptibility breaks risk down by ethnic and social factors. African American children are more than twice at risk for SIDS as babies of other communities, while Native American risk rates are triple those of Caucasian infants. Partly this involves traditional practices in putting the baby to sleep – on its back or front – but other correlations have not been ruled out.

Parental lifestyle also plays a part. Mothers that smoked or abused drugs during pregnancy are more likely to have children susceptible to SIDS, as are mothers who give birth before reaching 20 years of age. Additionally, boys are slightly more at risk than girls.

"Back To Sleep" and Crib Positioning

Probably the most famous bit of conventional wisdom regarding SIDS prevention involves keeping the baby on its back while sleeping. Experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Public Health Service strongly advise keeping baby on its back during sleep. When a child sleeps on its stomach, lack of oxygen and sufficient space to breathe can easily lead to asphyxiation. Keeping a child on its side is not recommended, since the child can easily roll over on it stomach. Side-sleeping actually doubles the risk.

Just the same, babies at five months are big enough to roll around in their crib, and anyway lying flat on the back all the time can create an asymmetrical "flat spot" on the head known as Plagiocephaly. But by five months the eminent danger SIDS presents is more or less over, so parents should continue to monitor the baby's sleeping, but not insist on keeping the child on its back the entire night.

Sleeping, Co-Sleeping, and Overheating

Parents concerned about keeping their child correctly positioned may feel tempted to enclose the child in movement-restricting blankets and sleeping garments. This is only partly beneficial. For best results, the American Sudden Infant Death Institute recommends putting baby to sleep on a hard mattress with only a fitted sheet underneath. The crib should otherwise be empty – no stuffed animals or blankets that could become trapped around the child's chest or face.

Overheating the nursery or the child's body is another potential instigator for SIDS. Experts recommend dressing the child in a simple "onesie" garment with attached boots or a "wearable blanket" that stops well short of the face and neck. The nursery itself should be kept at a comfortable temperature. Baby sleeping monitors are also a proven method of monitoring baby's sleeping rhythms and patterns during the night. Monitors are especially important when charting baby's breathing following an ALTE.

Co-sleeping, or sharing the parents' bed with the child, remains a subject of debate. Some experts believe placing the baby in the bed increases the risk of asphyxiation by blankets and pillows; other believe the benefits of having parents directly at hand outweigh the potential jeopardy.

Other Potential Risks

Because SIDS often occurs among children with respiratory and digestion infection or sickness, the National SIDS Institute strongly encourages parents to avoid any form of cigarette smoking around the home. Breastfeeding, which reduces the possibility of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, will possibly reduce the risk, too. Finally, diligently practicing good hygiene around the child, including clean hands and other objects around the baby, will reduce infection risk and generally promote better baby health overall.

Michael Kabel is senior staff writer for Corner Stork Baby Gifts at http://www.cornerstorkbabygifts.com. Stop by for parenting and baby resources, unique baby gifts, baby gift baskets and baby shower favors.