For many parents, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is the ultimate nightmare. SIDS or crib death is the unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby 12 months or younger. The cause is always unknown. However, there are a few hints at what might contribute to SIDS.
- Brain defects which affect the baby’s breathing and arousal from sleep. In these children, this part of the brain hasn’t matured correctly yet.
- Low birth weight can increase the chances that the baby’s brain hasn’t matured properly, affecting breathing and heart rate.
- Some babies may have had a respiratory infection, such as a cold, which could make breathing difficult.
Babies can also have other risk factors, such as a family history of SIDS, being between 2 and 4 months old, and living with smokers.
In general, you can lower the risk of SIDS by using safe sleep practices.
How can I get my child to sleep safely?
- Always place your baby on his or her back to sleep. This goes for naps as well as bedtime.
- Keep all objects other than a mattress and a fitted sheet out of the crib. This includes crib bumpers, blankets, and pillows as well as toys.
- Crib bumpers and pads used to protect babies from injury due to too-wide slats in the crib. However, all cribs have certain safety standards now, rendering bumpers useless–and now showing that they can be dangerous.
- Don’t co-sleep. Adult beds aren’t meant for babies. Often they’re too soft, risking that the baby will roll onto his or her stomach or side. Even if it’s a firm mattress, there are too many spaces for a baby to become trapped and suffocate. On top of that, adults may roll over by accident and cover the baby’s nose and mouth. Instead, keep a separate crib or bassinet in the room near your bed.
- Use safe clothing without a blanket. For example, you can use a sleep sack that the baby cannot wiggle down into, or a one-piece sleeping suit. Don’t use a hat or cover the baby’s head. You don’t want anything covering the baby’s face, or to create an environment that causes overheating.
The NICHD publication Reduce the Risk of SIDS: What does a safe sleep environment look like? gives more information on safe sleep environments for your baby.
Common concerns
A lot of parents have concerns about how their baby will sleep, even in a safe environment. These are as follows.
Will back sleeping cause choking?
No. A healthy baby will caught up or swallow fluids. This is a reflex all people have, and it works best when lying on the back. The location of the windpipe’s opening makes it unlikely to accidentally swallow any fluids, especially on the back. Fatal choking is far more likely when a baby sleeps on his or her stomach.
Talk to your doctor, however, if your baby has a medical condition related to swallowing.
Does sleeping on the back affect my baby’s head shape?
Babies’ skulls are soft and made up of movable plates. In this softer state, the brain can better grow. The plates will join and harden near adulthood. It’s true that if the baby is left in the same position for a long time, flat spots can form. This is called positional plagiocephaly (pley-jee-uh-SEF-uh-lee).
However, you can prevent or correct this condition by repositioning your baby to relieve pressure. Provide “tummy time” when your baby is awake and under constant supervision. This also helps the development of head, neck, and shoulder muscles. Use tummy time several times a day, for short periods, until your baby is used to it. Along with tummy time, use “cuddle time” to keep your baby from constantly lying in a carrier, car seat, or bouncer.
You can also change up the direction your baby sleeps. Point his or her feet towards the foot of the crib for a few days, and then towards the head of the crib. Keep up this rotation for each week. This encourages your baby to move his or her head, preventing flat spots. You can also move the crib around if possible, which will encourage your child to look in different directions.
Flat spots also are far less of a concern than SIDS. Do not stop placing your infant on his or her back to sleep.
Can monitors detect SIDS?
Audio and camera baby monitors that allow you to hear or see the baby from another room do not detect or prevent SIDS. At most, these can tell you that the baby is awake. They do not alert you to medical conditions that put infants at risk for SIDS.
Do special products reduce SIDS?
Like with crib bumpers, products like wedges and positioners do not actually prevent SIDS or keep the baby in a safe position. In fact, they actually may pose a danger to your child!
What resources are available to parents who have lost a child to SIDS?
Firstly, all parents should be aware that the baby’s family is not to blame. SIDS, after all, has no known cause. These preventative measures reduce the risk and keep your baby safe, but there is no definitive cure or ultimate prevention for SIDS.
For those families who have suffered this terrible loss, talk to other parents who have lost an infant to SIDS. Our doctors also can provide local resources and groups for support. Parents can also reach out through the SUID/SIDS Gateway. This has resources for grieving parents and other family members.