What is sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?

There is a condition that can snuff away the life of a baby suddenly called sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Learn more.

Having a baby is definitely the best time of any parent's life, but with the happiness comes the added responsibility of caring for his/her every need. One of the topmost priorities of any parent is to ensure that their child is healthy and safe. But despite all your efforts, there is a condition that can snuff away the life of your baby suddenly and without any known cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

What is sudden infant death syndrome?

Sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS is a phenomenon where a baby younger than one year , otherwise healthy, dies due to unexplained circumstances, usually during his/her sleep. What makes this an even more shocking condition is, that the cause of the child's death remains unknown after through medical examination, including an autopsy.

The reason for this is still unknown, but in a recent study, researchers have claimed that babies dying from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have a brain stem (located at the skull's base and connects the brain to the spinal cord) abnormality that drastically decreases the amount of oxygen the baby's brain gets. This reduces the ability of the brain to respond to certain stimuli in the environment, like waking up from sleep when they are unable to breathe. Apart from this, doctors also believe that certain environments are detrimental to the health of babies who are very young. (Read: Pregnancy after 30 dangerous for mother and baby!)

The researchers analysed the brain stems of 71 infants who had died suddenly and unexpectedly over 11 years. The study found that all the babies who died had abnormalities of four neurochemicals in the brain stem.

According to Dr Jhodie Duncan, from Boston Children's Hospital and Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health , the research suggests that the abnormality leaves the toddlers unable to adequately respond when faced with a stressor while sleeping. He said that if a pillow goes over a healthy infant's face, their brain usually detects changes in oxygen levels and initiates response, so that the baby can turn its head and continue breathing. However, babies with the abnormality did not 'respond properly' in the same situation, which lead to their death.

The next possible step of the research team would be to see if a blood test can be developed to be used as an early screening tool to identify infants at risk of sudden and unexpected death in their first year. The research has been published in the JournalPediatrics. (Read: How do I make sure my baby is doing fine and is healthy?)

What can a parent do to protect their child from this syndrome?

While the causes of this condition is unknown, there are still some things parents can do as precautionary measures:

• It is recommended that when the baby is laid down to sleep, she is made to sleep on his back. Placing her on her side will only compress her airway making it harder for her to breathe.
• Make sure there are no toys, pillows or loose sheets around the baby.
• The mattress that the baby is sleeping on should be firm and the sheet placed on top should be tightly tucked in.
• Parents must ensure never to sleep with their baby on a couch or in the sitting position, this is because in that position the child tends to curl up leading to a reduction in the amount they breathe. After a session of feeding, the mother should lay the baby down on a cot or mattress.
• Always try to keep the baby cool. A temperature between 20-23⁰C is optimum. Excessive heat can make cause the child's underdeveloped system to overheat, leading to death.
• Finally, parent's must take their child regularly to his/her paediatrician for check-ups.

Keep these tips in mind to protect your child.

With inputs from ANI

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