SIDS Archives - Health Beat

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of sudden unexpected infant death, typically affecting babies between one month and one year of age. The cause of SIDS is unknown, but it occurs most frequently in children aged between one and four months, typically while they’re sleeping.

It can be difficult to properly diagnose SIDS as a cause of death in many cases due to the fact that it’s often only determined once other potential causes of death have been ruled out. Although its frequency has drastically decreased in recent years, it still remains a serious threat to newborn children.

Most SIDS deaths occur in boys during the fall, winter, and early spring seasons. Babies that are most often affected are also premature or underweight, have a sibling that died due to SIDS, live in a household with people who smoke, and often sleep on their stomach or side on a sleeping surface that’s too soft. Many of these babies may also overheat during sleep.

Additionally, certain risk factors are linked to a child’s mother, including childbirth at under 20 years of age, smoking while pregnant, and receiving minimal prenatal care.

The best way to prevent SIDS is to eliminate as many of these risk factors as possible. You can:

Make sure the baby sleeps on their back
Remove soft surfaces, such as fluffy blankets and toys, from sleeping areas
Prevent smoking in the presence of the baby and the household in general
Breastfeed your baby or provide the closest possible alternative, such as donated milk or formula

If your baby becomes unresponsive during sleep, please dial 9-1-1 to get emergency medical assistance immediately.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and the New York State Department of Health, Office of Children and Family Services urge new parents to follow the ABC’s of how to keep your baby safe while sleeping.

“A” is for ALONE – make sure that your baby sleeps ALONE

“B” is for BACK – Be sure to place your baby on their BACK

“C” is for CRIB – Always place your baby in a safe CRIB

Although the rate of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) related deaths in infants between 28 days and 4 months old has decreased significantly; the incidence of sleep related deaths due to injury and the infant’s sleep position and environment are on the rise. Studies have shown that at least 80% of these infant deaths could have been prevented.

Some guidelines that new parents should follow are:

Purchase a safety-approved crib for your infant and keep it near your bed.
Sleeping in the same room as your baby is recommended.
Sleeping on the same surface as your baby (sometime referred to as bed-sharing) is NOT RECOMMENDED.
Breastfeeding mothers ought to place their baby back into their crib before going to sleep.
Do not place pillows, blankets, bumpers or other soft objects into the crib with your baby.
Purchase a firm mattress and fitted sheets for your baby’s crib.
Do not rely on your baby monitor.
Never use a car seat, baby swing, carriage or carrier without fully fastening the straps. Partially fastened straps can become a hazard for the baby.
Smoking with your baby present puts them at a higher risk for SIDS.
Do not have your baby sleep on a couch or chair. This will pose a risk of blocking airways and may trap the baby in a position that may cause them to suffocate.

For these and additional tips on how to keep your baby safe, visit – http://www.safebabiesny.com/

Tag Archives: SIDS

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month

The ABC’s of Safe Sleep for Infants