Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is an issue that parents need to be aware of, especially because knowledge could save your baby’s life.
SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year of age. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,000 infants die of SIDS every year in the United States. It is the leading cause of infant death and the leading cause of death for infants between 1-12 months old.
The CDC also states that Black and American/Indian/Alaskan Native infants are about twice more likely to die of SIDS than white infants.
While the exact cause of SIDS is unknown, there are steps parents can take to reduce the chances of SIDS. The CDC lists the following:
- Always place babies on their backs to sleep every time.
- Use a firm sleep surface, such as a mattress in a safety-approved crib, covered by a fitted sheet.
- Have the baby share your room, not your bed. Your baby should not sleep in an adult bed, on a couch, or on a chair alone, with you, or with anyone else.
- Keep soft objects such as pillows and loose bedding out of your baby’s sleep area.
- Prevent exposure to smoking during pregnancy and after birth because these are important risk factors for SIDS. The risk of SIDS is even stronger when a baby shares a bed with a smoker. To reduce risk, do not smoke during pregnancy, and do not smoke or allow smoking around your baby.
Learn more at:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome