Sudden infant death (SIDS): What you need to know

This is an automatically translated article.

Sudden infant death syndrome is the leading cause of death in infants 1 month to 1 year of age and threatens the lives of approximately 2,500 children each year in the United States. Although there have been many studies on this issue, the occurrence of this syndrome in children is still unpredictable. Accurate information about sudden infant death syndrome helps to detect and prevent the disease in the right way.

1. What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is not a common illness or disease. Rather, it is a diagnosis made when a child under the age of 1 dies suddenly for which the exact cause cannot be found immediately. To determine the cause, medical professionals must trace the medical history of both the child and the parents, carefully study the place of death and perform an autopsy. The syndrome occurs without any warning signs, making sudden infant death a big obsession for many families.
Sudden infant death syndrome can occur at any time but is usually during sleep between 10pm and 10am. Approximately 16-20% of sudden infant death deaths occur in child care settings, most commonly during the first week of life.

2. Causes of sudden infant death

The child has a serious defect in the heart, respiratory system, or reactive organs that are not fully developed. The airway is compressed when sleeping in the prone position, sleeping in a bed with too many items or a soft bed, sleeping with parents can also be the cause of sudden death in children. Infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome had lower-than-normal levels of serotonin in their brains. Serotonin helps regulate breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure during sleep.

3. Other risk factors

Mothers who smoke, drink alcohol, use drugs during pregnancy Poor prenatal care Preterm birth or low birth weight Mothers younger than 20 years Children continue to be exposed to secondhand smoke after giving birth Too hot temperatures while sleeping Sleeping on your stomach

4. Symptoms of sudden infant death

Sudden infant death has no accompanying symptoms or warning signs. The baby was not in pain, crying or having any discomfort before sudden death. However, your child may have had breathing or stomach problems that were not serious in the previous few weeks.
There may be other symptoms and signs not mentioned. If you have any questions about the signs of illness, consult your doctor.
If the baby is born prematurely, has low birth weight or has any breathing problems, the baby must be monitored in hospital to prevent sudden death. Even so, a baby can still die suddenly during sleep at any time, even in a healthy state. Always discuss with your doctor to determine the best method of diagnosis, treatment, and management for your child.

5. Preventing the risk of sudden infant death

Putting babies to sleep on their backs There is strong evidence that sleeping on their backs reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Some parents may also be concerned about the problem of a baby's head being distorted when a baby is lying on his back for too long, causing the skull at the back of the head to flatten. Therefore, you need to change your baby's position often and let him lie on his back more when awake. Place your baby on firm mattresses, never on a pillow, water mattress, sheepskin blanket, couch, chair, or other soft surface. Avoid using blankets that have a lot of feathers or are too large for children, do not leave them in rooms that are too hot. For 6-month-old babies, they should sleep in a crib, share a room with their parents instead of sharing a bed. To prevent rebreathing, do not place blankets, stuffed toys, or pillows near your baby. Do not use extra pads in the crib. Extra pads can choke your baby. Make sure your baby is fully vaccinated. Studies have shown that vaccination can reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) by 50%. Do not let your baby sleep in a very hot environment. Keep the room at a temperature comfortable for an adult wearing a short-sleeved shirt. Some researchers think that if babies sleep in an environment that is too hot, they may sleep more deeply, making it difficult to wake them up. Do not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs during pregnancy and do not expose your baby to secondhand smoke. Infants of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are three times more likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome than non-smoking mothers, with exposure to secondhand smoke increasing double the risk of sudden infant death. The researchers suggest that smoking may affect the central nervous system before birth and continue to affect after birth, increasing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Get early and regular pregnancy care. Check your baby's health regularly. Children should be breastfed. There is some evidence that breastfeeding may help reduce the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The reason for this is unknown, but researchers think that breast milk may help protect infants from infections thereby reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If your child has chronic GERD, follow your doctor's instructions about feeding and sleeping positions. Give your baby a pacifier to sleep until he or she is 1 year old. If the baby doesn't want to latch on, don't force the baby. Pacifiers reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). If you're breastfeeding, try to wait until after your baby is 1 month old for breastfeeding to form.

When the child is held or comforted by the mother, the parent should return the child to the crib or bassinet after the baby has fallen asleep. The baby's crib or bassinet should be placed in the parent's bedroom. This helps reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). As a key area of ​​Vinmec Medical system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of leading pediatricians: including leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All are well-trained, professional, with a mind - range, understanding young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment. To register for examination and treatment with Pediatricians at Vinmec International General Hospital, please click the "Contact Us" button on the website or register online HERE.
SEE ALSO:
Risk of death from postpartum infection in newborns Necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants Can umbilical hernias in newborns go away on their own? When is it dangerous?