Parenting Magazine: Why are infants still dying from SIDS?
Parenting recently published an article educating readers about the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). See an important excerpt below.
Despite the challenges, SIDS research goes on. And though much remains to be learned, scientists do have some answers (see “4 Other Ways to Protect Your Baby”). For instance, theyknow that certain infants, such as African-American, Native American, and premature babies, are at particular risk, and that certain situations (including sleeping on a soft surface and exposure to secondhand smoke) raise the odds for all babies. They also know that babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides face the biggest danger: They have twice the risk of dying from SIDS as babies who sleep on their backs. When a baby’s face is turned toward the bedding, he’s in a position to re-breathe the carbon dioxide he exhales, which limits the amount of oxygen he takes in. “When they aren’t getting enough oxygen, most babies will do something to change their environment — they’ll turn their heads, or they’ll sigh, or they’ll yawn,” says Rachel Moon, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC. “But babies who die of SIDS don’t wake up when they get into trouble, and we don’t fully understand why.” (read the rest of this entry)
Tags: Baby Sleeps Safe, infant, parent, safety, SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome