Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Still A Danger In The US

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Still A Danger In The US.

A campaign that started in 1994 to prevent sudden infant death changed how the parents in the United States put their infants to sleep.  The decrease in babies dying has stabilised in recent years, but some deaths remain  preventable, according to a study published in Pediatrics.

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) kills about 2,500 babies each year in the US. Babies put to bed on their stomach and side, especially with blankets and pillows, or those who share a bed with their parents, are known to be at more risk of SIDS, or “crib death”.

Dr Henry Krous and his colleagues from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine compared the Cases of all babies who went through the San Diego Medical Examiner's Office with SIDS as the cause of death between 1991 and 2003, a total of 568 infants. They found that fewer babies died suddenly after the campaign.

The study team said, however, that there were still preventable risks involved in most recent SIDS cases. “The safest sleep environment for a baby is to be placed in a crib with a well-fitting mattress, the mattress is firm, there are no soft objects in the bed — no bumper pads, no blankets, no overstuffed toys and the baby in the crib is sleeping alone,” Dr Krous said.
REUTERS