Keeping Your Infant Safe: October is National SIDS Awareness Month

In your lifetime, you have likely heard of the importance of laying infants on their back when they sleep. But why is this so essential? It is one of the factors known to reduce the baby’s risk for SIDS.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is a condition in which infants die unexpectedly from an unknown cause before the age of one. It most commonly occurs between the ages of two to four months old. Overall rates of deaths from SIDS decreased sharply in the US due to public health objectives in the 1990s, commonly known as the “Back to Sleep” campaign. However, it is still the leading cause of death in healthy infants older than 1 month of age, with about 2,500 dying from SIDS each year.

Keep in mind that the items in the table above do not guarantee that your child will develop SIDS. These are just some of the most common findings from SIDS cases in the past, and the true cause of SIDS is yet to be discovered.

How can you actively try to prevent SIDS from occurring?

1. Breastfeeding has been shown to be helpful in decreasing the chance of developing SIDS. Along with multiple other benefits, including strengthening your baby’s immune system, it is a good idea to try to breastfeed if other health conditions do not prohibit you from doing so.

2. Room-sharing, where the infant stays in the same room as its caregiver, can reduce the risk of SIDS. Bed-sharing, on the other hand, is not encouraged.

3. Pacifier use is recommended during sleep. If breastfeeding exclusively, plan on delaying pacifier use until your baby can breastfeed successfully and has a routine feeding schedule.

4. Vaccinated infants have lower rates of SIDS.

5. Strive for a healthy pregnancy by avoiding tobacco, alcohol, or other illicit drug use. A smoke-free area that is drug-free and is without excessive alcohol use can also produce a safer environment after delivery. Visit your doctor as soon as possible for regular appointments during your pregnancy.

6. Remove items from the sleep environment that may cause suffocation when sleeping. All that is needed in the crib is a fitted sheet to cover the mattress. Keep the room at a comfortable, not too warm temperature, even in the colder months. A wearable blanket can be used as it is a constructed, fitted garment, that is not going to slip off the baby. Swaddling is also recommended to stop once the infant can roll over on its own.

7. Always place the baby on its back on a firm surface when sleeping. You may allow for “tummy-time” where the baby lies on its stomach during the day when they are awake and supervised. This helps your baby develop muscle strength and can prevent the back of their heads from becoming too flat.

Lastly, many products may be monitored as protective against SIDS, like oxygen or cardiorespiratory monitors, but there has been no evidence of any products actually lowering the chance of SIDS.

The CDC provides a great summary of the above recommendations. For more helpful materials, including informational videos, please visit the CDC’s website: https://safetosleep.nichd.nih.gov.

Dr. Herd is a resident physician who sees patients of all ages and provides obstetrical services at Lone Star Family Health Center, a non-profit 501©3 Federally Qualified Health Center operating facilities in Conroe, Spring, Willis, Grangerland, and Huntsville, and serving as home to a fully integrated Family Medicine Residency Program to increase the number of Family Medicine physicians for Texas and our community.