Free Online Articles Directory

Why Submit Articles?
Top Authors
Top Articles
FAQ
ABAnswers

Publish Article

0 && $ .browser.msie ) {
var ie_version = parseInt($ .browser.version);
if(ie_version Login

Login via

Register
Hello
My Home
Sign Out

Email

Password


Remember me?
Lost Password?

Home Page > Home and Family > Babies > Babies: Sids

Categories
AdvertisingArts & EntertainmentAutomotiveBeautyBusinessCareersComputersEducationFinanceFood and BeverageHealthHobbiesHome and FamilyHome ImprovementInternetLawMarketingNews and SocietyRelationshipsSelf ImprovementShoppingSpiritualitySports and FitnessTechnologyTravelWriting

]]>

Babies: Sids

By: Nicholas Tan
Posted: Sep 05, 2008
Comments: [1]

It’s the most frightening, bewildering and heartbreaking thing that can happen with a newborn. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It’s defined as when as when a baby dies in the first year of life from no apparent cause. The causes still aren’t fully known, but in SIDS deaths, the baby’s recovery mechanisms if deprived of oxygen aren’t developed and he’s not able to rouse himself if his breathing becomes obstructed, such as when he’s sleeping face down.

There’s no way to predict whether a baby is at risk for SIDS, although the occurrence of SIDS deaths has decreased in the last 10 years. Creating a safe sleep environment for the baby is one way to help prevent SIDS.

Read more articles
Infant Monitors Are More Than Just A Baby Monitor These Days
What Kind Of Decoration Is Most Suitable For Newborn Baby?
Natural Baby Skin Care – The Truth Revealed
Colic In Baby’s – Great Solutions For Your Colic Baby

For the first year of life, babies should be put to sleep on their backs. If put to sleep on their sides, they should be positioned with one arm forward to keep them from rolling over on their stomachs. Soft foam wedges can be purchased for just this purpose.

Avoid loose, fluffy bedding and make sure your baby’s face isn’t obstructed. Be careful not to overheat your baby by over-wrapping him or dressing him in too many layers.
Don’t smoke and don’t allow anyone else to smoke around the baby. Make sure he has a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib.

There are monitoring systems that can alert you if the baby stops breathing. There are some indications when you might want to consider this:

–If the baby has had any life-threatening episodes, such as turning blue, or an episode requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
–If the baby had older siblings who died of SIDS.
–If the baby was premature

Make sure to keep all well-baby appointments to make sure his lungs are fully developed and to maintain all immunizations.

Nicholas Tan – About the Author:

Submit your articles and get a PR4 backlink to your website! Submit Articles! We provide free articles and information. Check us out at Free Articles!

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/babies-sids-549986.html

]]>

Increase your traffic today just by submitting articles with us, click here to get started.

Liked this article? Click here to publish it on your website or blog, it’s free and easy!

Rate this Article

1
2
3
4
5

vote(s)
1 vote(s)

Feedback
Print

0) {
ch_selected = Math.floor(Math.random()*ch_queries.length);
if(ch_selected == ch_queries.length) ch_selected–;
ch_query = ch_queries[ch_selected];
}
}catch(e){
ch_query = document.title;
}
]]>

Article Tags:
baby

Latest Babies Articles
More from Nicholas Tan

Why You Might Want to Look at That Discount Nursery Furniture Again

Overwhelmed? Find out how you can get the help you deserve and need from versatile discount nursery furniture. This doesn’t mean settle for second best. Read on to discover how you can get quality nursery furniture for less. From changing tables to fun toddler beds, give yourself and your family the best; it’s what you deserve.

By: Ilana Moore

Home and Family >
Babies
May 26, 2011

Fashionable Kids Jeans

Jeans have stood the test of time and remain one of the most classic pieces of clothing to exist in the world of fashion. Everyone, from the high class seven figure CEO, to the impoverished man in the projects has likely owned several pairs of jeans since their creation in the early 20th century

By: maidman

Home and Family >
Babies
May 26, 2011

Selecting the Perfect Stroller

Is there such thing as the perfect stroller? Yes—and no. There is a stroller out there that is perfect for your needs in most situations and is the best one for you to buy but there is no stroller that is perfect for every need in every situation.

By: Craig A. Howard

Home and Family >
Babies
May 26, 2011

Exactly what is Sudden infant death syndrome and What Risks Causes it?

One of the biggest fears for new parents is the possibility of SIDS or sudden infant death syndrome affecting their baby. Being that SIDS is still claiming thousands of babies lives each year, there is a genuine concern by new parents. The worst aspect of the SIDS situation is that there is no ‘specific’ cause for the disease, although there is a lot of speculative thought, there is no actual known cause.

By: publishingmaniac@gmail.com

Home and Family >
Babies
May 26, 2011

Embrace Motherhood with Twin Baby Gifts

Mariah Carey, the famous singer-songwriter and actress gave birth to twins few days back. While giving birth to twins is a joyful event in the life of a woman, friends and relatives usually feel confused baby gifts ideas that will be perfect for the twins. We provide few twin baby gift ideas that anyone can opt for.

By: Crystal Egger

Home and Family >
Babies
May 26, 2011

Real Estate: A1 Home Selling Checklist

It’s not an easy job to selling a house. It’s a process. You just don’t publish your house, meet a buyer, negotiate and sell it, but there is a checklist to sell your house. The home selling checklists include some procedures you must do in the correlation of home selling.

By: Nicholas Tan

Finance >
Real Estate
Jun 21, 2009

Travel Tips To European Countries: Italy

Italy, the birthplace of pasta and pizza provides a wide range of choices for artwork lovers to experience. A temperate climate exists here with very hot summers and not so cold winters. The weather is the best in spring and autumn with pleasant temperatures and scenic views. At that time of the year, the place isn’t crowded much and things can be enjoyed in leisure. Incase of emergency call 112. For fire call 115 and for ambulance call 118.

By: Nicholas Tan

Travel >
Destinations
Feb 27, 2009

Travel Tips To European Countries: Ireland

The summers are warm and the winters are moderate with some snow. May and June are the sunniest months. Weather changes quite frequently from cloudy to sunny and vice versa. If planning the visit during the summer, lightweight woolen or cotton clothes are recommended and jacket for spring and autumn. Always carry raincoat for that untimely showers. Incase of emergency call 999 or 112.

By: Nicholas Tan

Travel >
Destinations
Feb 27, 2009

Travel Tips To European Countries: Iceland

Officially known as the Republic of Iceland, is located in northwestern Europe. It comprises of the island of Iceland and its outlying small islands in the northern Atlantic Ocean between Greenland, Norway, Scotland, Ireland, and the Faroe Islands. Iceland’s glassy glaciers, hot thermal springs, spectacular geysers, active volcanoes, lava fields, stunning waterfalls and snow-capped mountains, indeed makes it the original ‘land of fire and ice’.

By: Nicholas Tan

Travel >
Destinations
Feb 27, 2009

Travel Tips To European Countries: Hungary

Also known as the Republic of Hungary or Hungarian Republic, Hungary is a landlocked country located in Central Europe and bordering Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia. Budapest is the largest city and also the Capital of Hungary. One of the key reasons why Hungary is popular is its hospitality to tourists. Also one can find an ideal mix of history and modern day in Hungary.

By: Nicholas Tan

Travel >
Destinations
Feb 27, 2009

Comments on this article [1]
Add new Comment

this article is full of bad information. babies should NEVER be placed on their sides to sleep- ONLY THEIR BACKS. and sleep positioners are not recommended by ANY SIDS organization or the AAP. in fact, they have been known to cause suffocation and death of babies.

katydid
Sep 06, 2008

Ask a question

Ask our experts your Babies related questions here…

200 Characters left

Related Questions

How many babies die of sids each year ?

]]>

Related Articles
All Natural Baby Products – Why You Should Choose Them
Baby Bundler & Baby Wraps
Customized Baby Gifts – Gift A Bundle Of Joy
Video Monitors Create The Best Baby Monitor
Baby Hammock – Provides an Ultimate Security
New Baby Survival Kit-What you really need to buy before baby gets here

Need Help?
Contact Us
FAQ
Submit Articles
Editorial Guidelines
Blog

Site Links
Recent Articles
Top Authors
Top Articles
Find Articles
Site Map
Mobile Version

Webmasters
RSS Builder
RSS
Link to Us

Business Info
Advertising

Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the Terms Of Use and Privacy Policy | User published content is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Copyright © 2005-2011 Free Articles by ArticlesBase.com, All rights reserved.

Related Prevent Sids Articles

The number one killer of children under the age of 1 is SIDS. It makes up about 9% of all infant death, and takes place generally in the first 6 months of life. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome seldom occurs before 1 month of age or after 6 months.

In the United States, SIDS is responsible for killing about 2,550 babies every year. In Canada, SIDS is the leading cause of death for infants more than four weeks old, accounting for about one infant death out of every 1,390 live births. Over 30 years of study have established factors that raise the risk of SIDS-like letting infants sleep on their stomachs-but no definitive answers as to what causes the condition. In spite of years of intensive research, the causes of SIDS remain unknown.

What Researchers Do Know

Babies under the age of one year are more prone to SIDS. By and large, a SIDS death occurs when a quietly sleeping newborn just never wakes up. Infants could be subjected to episodes termed apparent life-threatening events (ALTEs). These are clinical events in which young infants can face abrupt changes in breathing, color, or muscle tone. Newborns have died from SIDS at all times of the day and night, in cribs, bassinets, car seats, strollers, even in a parent’s affectionate arms. Although SIDS used to be referred to more frequently as crib death, that does not mean that it only occurred in cribs, that simply tended to be where most dead newborns were found.

To further complicate matters, doctors and law enforcement may well be uninformed of a family’s past, or they may be blinded by sympathy for the anguished parents. A sad story is of Marybeth Tinning of Schenectady, New York, who won only compassion as, one by one, her nine babies died of SIDS and other unclear natural causes between 1972 and 1985. Doctors still do not understand what causes this condition. In fact, the diagnosis of SIDS is made only after all other possible explanations are ruled out.

Newborns with supposed cases of SIDS ought to have an autopsy performed by a forensic pathologist who has expert training in cause-of-death determinations, and the autopsy should include histological and toxicological examinations. The quality and analysis of postmortem information varies, in part, because a lot of investigative certifier systems do not have a written protocol that specifies the criteria to be used to diagnose SIDS. Babies of all socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups are potentially susceptible, though with varying probability. Babies at greatest risk of SIDS include: pre-term newborns, especially those weighing less than 2.3 pounds or 1,000 gm; infants who had intrauterine growth restriction; infants born to mothers with little or no prenatal care or less than 20 years old; males; and African Americans and Native Americans. Infants who sleep on their stomachs and sides have a higher rate of SIDS than babies who sleep on their backs.

Infants who die from SIDS are inclined to have higher concentrations of nicotine and cotinine (a biological marker for secondhand smoke exposure) in their lungs than those who die from other causes. Infants exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are also at a greater risk of SIDS.

Babies whose mothers smoked throughout pregnancy were born with smaller airways. That causes at risk breathing troubles subsequent to birth. We also know that more newborns die of SIDS whose mothers smoked throughout and after pregnancy. Newborns produce a lot of phlegm and have a lot of secretions still making there passageway out of their lungs. The lungs are irritated by smoke which causes even more phlegm to be produced. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy can diminish the amount of oxygen the fetus gets. Cigarette taxes and laws regulating inside smoking are known to be powerful predictors of smoking behaviors amongst all adults and expecting women. If smoking is in fact a causal determinant of SIDS, then policies which lower smoking ought to have the additional advantage of dropping SIDS cases.

The predicament in branding smoking as a connecting determinant of SIDS is clear: newborns not exposed to cigarette smoke nevertheless die of SIDS. To make matters worse, studies reveal that newborns that are breast fed, who have had great prenatal care, who were full term as well as of normal birth weight, who have parents which have not used drugs, to the point, that have no known risk factors, nevertheless die from SIDS. Regardless of these problems, we do know that mothers that smoke throughout pregnancy are three times more likely to have a SIDS baby and contact with passive smoke subsequent to pregnancy doubles a baby’s risk of SIDS.

Data shows that SIDS happens mainly during the winter months, and boys are more affected than girls. The newborn has sometimes had a mild respiratory infection and may not have been feeding well in the preceding weeks. Statistics confirm that African-American and Native-American babies are more likely to be at risk.

A recent study released by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found over half of SIDS cases happened while the baby was co-sleeping along with an adult or another youngster. Of those deaths, many happened in a potentially dangerous situation, such as on a bed or on a sofa with a person which had just used drugs or alcohol.

A number of studies have revealed that an defect on the brain stem that controls respiratory processes was responsible for the death, however this premise does not have enough medical research to support it at this time. Although very rare, anaphylaxis as a result of any cause — such as a food, drug, or environmental allergen — can lead to abrupt, unexpected death. With the basis of a well-documented instance of deadly anaphylactic shock in twin infants that occurred after each got a second dose of diphtheria toxoid and whole-cell pertussis vaccine (DwP), the commission concluded that the evidence favors acceptance of a linkage between this vaccine and infant death as a result of anaphylaxis.

The good news is that the rate of SIDS is on the decline in the United States and other countries. This decline has been achieved mainly through public education campaigns educating parents concerning several important factors linked with an increased risk of SIDS. Although they have recommended methods, there is no absolute method to preventing SIDS from happening.

There’s no way to predict whether a baby is at risk for SIDS, although the occurrence of SIDS deaths has decreased in the last 10 years. Creating a safe sleep environment for the baby is one way to help prevent SIDS.

For the first year of life, babies should be put to sleep on their backs. If put to sleep on their sides, they should be positioned with one arm forward to keep them from rolling over on their stomachs. Soft foam wedges can be purchased for just this purpose.

Avoid loose, fluffy bedding and make sure your baby’s face isn’t obstructed. Be careful not to overheat your baby by over-wrapping him or dressing him in too many layers.

Don’t smoke and don’t allow anyone else to smoke around the baby. Make sure he has a firm mattress in a safety-approved crib.

There are monitoring systems that can alert you if the baby stops breathing. There are some indications when you might want to consider this:

–If the baby has had any life-threatening episodes, such as turning blue, or an episode requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

–If the baby had older siblings who died of SIDS.

–If the baby was premature

Make sure to keep all well-baby appointments to make sure his lungs are fully developed and to maintain all immunizations.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is marked by symptoms of sudden and unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant aging from one month to one year that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation is conducted including complete autopsy, examination of death scene, and review of the clinical history. In United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, this is known as cot death, while crib death is oftentimes used in North America. Typically, the infant is found dead after having been put to bed and showed no signs of having suffered in any form.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the third leading cause overall of infant mortality in the United States. The overall rate of SIDS in the US has declined by more than 50% since 1990. But preventing SIDS remains one of the top public health priorities.

Very little is known about the possible causes of SIDS. Some studies look into the possibility of gene alteration (SIDS gene) predisposing an infant to SIDS. Other researchers who studied the brains of infants who died of SIDS discovered abnormalities in the part of the brain called medulla oblongata which helps control functions like breathing, blood pressure and arousal. Others also implicated the role of bacterial infections.

SIDS cannot completely be prevented. However parents are advised to do several precautions in order to decrease the likelihood of SIDS. Current recommendations include placing the infant on its back to sleep on a firm, tight-fitting mattress in a crib; removing pillows, comforters, bumper pads, stuffed toys and other soft items from the crib; using a sleeper or sleepsack (“baby sleep bag”) as an alternative to blankets; and making sure that the infant’s head in uncovered. Sleeping on the back has been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This method supports the idea that small infants with little or no control of their head, while face down, may inhale their exhaled breath which is high in carbon dioxide. Other precautions include avoiding the infant from secondhand smoke, avoiding bed sharing with the infant, and considering the use of pacifiers.

A recent study revealed that using a fan in the room seemed to lower the risk of SIDS. Fan use during sleep was associated with a 72% reduction in SIDS risk. The mechanism suggested is that increasing the movement of air near the sleeping infant could significantly decrease accumulation of carbon dioxide, thereby lowering the risk of rebreathing.

SIDS can strike infants without warning, especially if parents are not watchful enough to avoid risks associated with it. That’s why parents should make all the necessary measures to avoid this common tragedy from happening to their infants. This silent killer is still out there.

References:

1) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudden_infant_death_syndrome

2) Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Department of Health and Human Resources. Center for disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/SIDS/index.htm

3) Patrick L Carolan, MD; Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. http://www.emedicine.com/ped/TOPIC2171.HTM#Multimediamedia4

4) Laurie Barclay, MD; Head Covering During Sleep May Increase Risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/575666

5) Laurie Barclay, MD; Using a Fan During Sleep May Help Prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/581570

6) Opdal SH; Rognum TO; The sudden infant death syndrome gene: does it exist?. Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Oslo, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. Pediatrics. 2004; 114(4):e506-12 (ISSN: 1098-4275)

www.little-snuggles.co.nz Learn how a Little Snuggles baby hammock can help baby get a good nights sleep and help prevent SIDS
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Related Prevent Sids Articles

Informing yourself about the causes of SIDS, and recognized safe sleeping practices, can go a long way towards preventing a tragedy…

What is SIDS?

SIDS (or sudden infant death syndrome) is the sudden death of an infant, under one year of age that remains unexplained after a complete post-mortem investigation. In the US it occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 babies. Most cases occur between the ages of two and four months. For unknown reasons, SIDS is higher in males than females by a ratio of 1.5 to 1.0.

What Causes SIDS?

SIDS seems to be a combination of many factors: immature development of cardio-respiratory control mechanisms, failure to wake from sleep in response to breathing difficulties, medical conditions that compromise breathing, and unsafe sleeping practices. SIDS researchers now also believe that many SIDS deaths are attributable to suffocation rather than a defective physiological or neurological response from the baby. Suffocation results from the baby breathing and re-breathing the same air until the oxygen in the air is depleted.

Preventing SIDS

1. Place your baby on the back to sleep, for every sleep, unless advised otherwise by your pediatrician. Back-sleeping babies awaken easier; have a lower chance of getting overheated; breathe more oxygen and are less likely to suffocate.

2. If possible, breastfeed your baby. Breastfed babies have an up to three times lower SIDS rate.

3. Do not smoke during pregnancy, and keep your baby’s environment smoke-free. Studies show that exposure to cigarette smoking at least doubles the risk of SIDS.

4. Don’t let your baby get too warm. SIDS researchers believe that overheating may cause respiratory control centers in some babies to fail.

5. Make sure that your baby cannot suffocate, by ensuring that baby’s nose and mouth, are not obstructed by bedding or objects such as soft toys.

6. Make up the baby crib according to safe sleeping practices.

* Place baby’s feet at the foot of the baby crib so that he or she can’t wriggle under the covers.

* Covers should come no higher than baby’s chest.

* Use a thin blanket. Soft crib bedding can suffocate infants.

* Tuck the blanket in well on both sides of the crib under the baby crib mattress.

* Remove quilts, soft toys, pillows, comforters and other bedding from the baby crib.

* Use a clean, firm, snug fitting crib mattress and a fitted crib sheet, preferably organic.

* Crib bumpers are not recommended.

7. Make sure that there is a good flow of fresh air. Open a window, or keep the door partially open.

8. Use a baby crib that meets current safety standards, preferably organic. The chemicals out-gassed by wood veneers and finishes are considered among the possible causes of SIDS.

9. Make use of an apnea monitor.

10. If possible let baby sleep in the parent’s room for the first year. For unknown reasons, the close proximity of a baby to its parents during sleep has been shown to reduce SIDS risk. (Note that baby should NOT be placed IN the parent’s bed due to the risk of suffocation.)

11. Consider offering a pacifier at naptime and bedtime. Research now indicates an association between pacifier use and reduced SIDS risk.

12. Don’t be in too much of a hurry for your baby to sleep through the night. Babies that are trained to sleep through the night, before they are physically ready, are at a higher SIDS risk.

13.Ensure that others caring for the infant (child care provider, relative, friend, babysitter) are aware of these SIDS prevention measures.

More Prevent Sids Articles

It is impossible to predict if a child will succumb to SIDS. Medical research has failed to pinpoint a single exact cause but it has indicated various “risk factors” Knowing where the risk are can help you to eliminate them and thereby reduce the risk of SIDS by up to 75%. Use these guidelines to help provide a safe sleep environment for your baby.

*Put your baby to sleep on his back.
The back to sleep campaign is thought to have reduced Sudden Infant deaths by between 50 – 75%. This is fairly new advice. Older mums (like me!) were probably told to put babies to sleep on their stomachs. However, medical opinion is unanimous. Putting baby to sleep on his/her back is the single most important thing you can do to prevent SIDS.

*Use a firm Mattress with a fitted sheet.
Do not put baby to sleep (even for a nap) on soft surfaces such as water beds, sofa cushions, sheepskins or sleeping bags.

*Remove all soft things from the crib/sleep area
Take away fluffy blanket, pillows, soft toys, duvets etc

*Keep baby’s face uncovered.
Make sure that baby’s face stays uncovered and that blankets cannot shuffle up during the night. It is better to use sleep clothing rather than blankets. If you do use blanket make sure that you place baby at the foot of the crib (with his feet to the bottom) and the blanket firmly tucked under the mattress and no higher than baby’s chest.

Do not smoke
Do not smoke during pregnancy and do not allow others to smoke round your baby.

*Sleep near to your baby.
It is suggested that you should keep baby in the parent’s bedroom until 6 months old. It is NOT intended that you share a bed with your infant. It is hard to follow the SIDS prevention rules in an adult bed. The mattress is usually too soft and the pillows and fluffy bedding provide addition risks.

*If you use a pacifier for sleep or nap times do not reinsert it once baby is asleep

*Do not allow your baby to overheat
The room should be at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult. Do not use too many clothes or blankets.

*Make sure everyone knows these prevention tips.
Some of this advise is new (especially back to sleep) and older carers may not know. It is important that everyone who looks after you baby is aware of the steps to keep your baby safe.

See the life-threatening risk posed to a sleeping baby when a traditional crib bumper is used in a crib.
Video Rating: 0 / 5

Related Prevent Sids Articles

SIDS is the leading cause of 2,500 infants death aged 1 month to 1 year old annually, and the third leading cause of overall infant mortality in the United States, and deaths tend to peak in winter months. SIDS isn’t any one illness or disease, it is frightening because it can strike without warning, usually in a seemingly healthy infant.

Although many studies have been performed, yet no one could tell for sure what the cause of SIDS is. Based on studies, the American Academy of Pediatrics has some recommendations to reduce SIDS risks, which include avoiding cigarettes during pregnancy and breastfeeding, avoiding use of soft bedding and putting the baby to sleep on his back instead of tummy sleeping.

One theory says SIDS occurs due to the buildup of carbon dioxide when infants with inadequate sleep arousal responses re-breathe exhaled air trapped by soft bedding or proximity to other sleeping family members. These babies may have brain abnormalities that prevent them from gasping and waking when they don’t get enough oxygen.

It’s cheap, it’s easy, it’s not going to harm the baby, as long as you use a bedroom fan, your baby’s risk of SIDS decreases considerably, according to a new study published in October 6 issue of Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. Could it be this simple? Moving air, from a fan, is all you need to prevent SIDS?

According to a recent study Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California, published in October’s Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, a fan use might be another way to prevent SIDS. The result indicates fan use was linked to a 94 percent decrease in SIDS risks for infants who slept in rooms that exceeded 70 degrees Fahrenheit (above 21 degrees Celsius) and to an 84% decrease for babies who slept in rooms with closed windows. The findings were based on a survey of 185 mothers whose babies died of SIDS and mothers of more than 300 randomly selected babies.

A fan in the room improve air circulation and can help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome because it preventing the “re-breathing” exhaled air. As the baby breathes exhaled air, the oxygen level in the body drops and carbon dioxide accumulates which could contribute to SIDS.

Sleeping in a room with an open window was found to reduce the risk of SIDS by 36%, while sleeping with a fan in the room was associated with a 72% reduction in risk. The risk reduction with fan use was even greater in babies who were put to bed on their stomachs or had other sleep-related SIDS risk factors.

Parents who worry that their child will be chilled by a fan should know that fans do not cool the air, they simply move air around. However, parents should make sure to take normal safety precautions, keeping cords out of the way and making sure the fan can’t be knocked down by a toddler or pet.

The lead author of the study, De-Kun Li, MD, PhD. said although the use of fans and sleeping in a room with an open window was also found to lower the risk by more than 70%, however the fan use should not replace other sleeping strategies for lowering SIDS:

Avoiding soft bedding: pillow, waterbed, sheepskin, or other soft surface in cribs Place your baby on a firm mattress to sleep. To prevent “re-breathing”, do not put blankets, comforters, stuffed toys, or pillows near the baby.
Although babies can be brought into their parents’ bed for nursing or comforting, they should not share the bed when parents are sleeping.
Pacifiers also seem to protect babies, the researchers said, perhaps because the handles prevent a child’s face from becoming pressed against the mattress. A research study in 2005 found that use of a pacifier cut the risk of SIDS by 90%. Sleeping in.
There is strong evidence that overheating may significantly raise the risk of SIDS. Overheating can result from overheated room, wrapping or covering a baby with too many blankets, particularly when baby has a fever or respiratory infection. Keep the room at a temperature that feels comfortable for an adult in a short-sleeve shirt.
Do not smoke, drink, or use drugs while pregnant. Infants of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are three times more likely to die of SIDS than those whose mothers were smoke-free; exposure to secondhand smoke doubles a baby’s risk of SIDS.
Do not expose your baby to secondhand smoke.
Receive early and regular prenatal care.
Make sure your baby has regular well-baby checkups.
Breastfeed, if possible. There is some evidence that breastfeeding may help decrease the incidence of SIDS.

Growing public awareness of SIDS and the steps to reduce infants’ risk of sudden death hopefully will leave fewer parents searching for answers in the future for protecting their infants from SIDS tragedy.