October is SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month, the perfect time to educate yourself and those close to you about SIDS.I haven’t lost a baby to SIDS, so I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like. As a parent, I have experienced the anguish of broken bones and broken hearts—but those mend over time. The unexplained death of an infant believed to be healthy can only be described as devastating.

Since 1992 when the American Academy of Pediatrics began to recommend that babies be put to sleep on their backs, the rate of SIDS has decreased by over 50 percent. Currently, 2,500 infants die each year from SIDS, making it the leading cause of death in infants between 1 month and 1 year of age.

What is SIDS?

SIDS is the unexplained death of an infant under 1 year of age. Most SIDS deaths occur between 2 and 4 months of age. SIDS is commonly referred to as “cot death” or “crib death” because most SIDS deaths occur when a baby is sleeping.

Who is at risk for SIDS?

African American and Native American babies are two to three times more likely to die of SIDS compared to Caucasian babies, and boys are at greater risk for SIDS than girls. Other risk factors include babies who sleep on their tummy (face down) or side and those born premature, and babies of mothers who smoke or who have had little or no prenatal care.

What causes SIDS?

Despite extensive research, the cause of SIDS remains unclear. Researchers have identified a series of factors and events that increase a baby’s risk for SIDS, and when these events occur at the same time, SIDS is more likely to result.

• An infant appears normal but has an underlying defect in the part of the brain that controls heart rate and breathing or has a metabolic disorder.
• An infant is in the developmental period when changes occur in sleep and wake patterns, breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature.
• An infant experiences an event such as being placed on their tummy to sleep, exposure to cigarette smoke, or a respiratory infection.

What can parents do to lower the risk of SIDS?

There is no way to predict which babies will die of SIDS. However, there are actions parents can take to keep their babies safe and reduce the risk of SIDS.

• Get prenatal care early in pregnancy.
• Avoid using nicotine products, drugs, and alcohol during pregnancy and after birth.
• Place your baby on her back to sleep.
• Place your baby on a firm mattress or other firm surface to sleep.
• Use only a lightweight cover or blanket in your baby’s bed.
• Avoid putting pillows, sheepskins, comforters, and soft stuffed toys in your baby’s bed.
• Don’t let your baby get too hot.
• Get regular well-baby check-ups and routine immunizations.
• Call your baby’s doctor right away if your baby seems sick.
• Breastfeed your baby!

In 2005, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a SIDS Policy Statement in which it recommends, in addition to the actions above, that babies sleep on a separate surface but within reach of a responsible caregiver and that babies be offered a pacifier at naptime and bedtime, once breastfeeding is well-established.

Dealing with a SIDS death

The death of a baby from SIDS is unexpected and unexplained. It is a death that cannot be predicted or prevented, so there is no time for preparation or goodbyes. Often, parents of SIDS babies are very young and are confronting death for the first time. Most cases of SIDS occur at home, where parents and siblings witness the event and become part of the confusion that follows. In some cases, the parents are the ones to find the baby dead and must live with that memory. In other cases, the death occurs while the baby is under someone else’s care, and the parents may feel guilt or anger or both.

All too often, the loss of a baby from SIDS is diminished by others who believe that the baby was not here long enough for parents to establish a deep attachment. For mothers, attachment is tightly formed from the moment of conception and throughout pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding. A mother’s bond focuses on the present and her baby’s immediate needs, while a father’s bond focuses on the future and his dreams and expectations for his child—dreams and expectations that, for a SIDS baby, will never be realized. Parents attempt to cope with the death of their child by:

• acknowledging that their grief is unbearable and should not be diminished or ignored.
• allowing their anger to surface.
• acknowledging that grief is a necessary part of healing.
• talking openly about their child and how much they will be missed.
• celebrating their child’s life through memorial services or rituals.
• expressing their feelings through writings or in art, music, or other creative activities.
• confiding in those who will listen and understand.
• participating in support groups for parents who have lost a baby to SIDS.
• letting go of fear, anger, and guilt when the time seems right.
• acknowledging that acceptance of joy in life does not diminish their love for their child.

Every parent who has lost a child will agree that letting go of a child is impossible. Regardless of how brief their life, a child gives parents special gifts, and it is the memory of those gifts that enable parents to endure the loss.

For additional information on SIDS or to locate resources in your community, contact the

National

SIDS Resource Cen ter.