Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Symptoms

 SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS is defined as the sudden death of an infant younger than 1 year of age. Some people call SIDS as crib death and is the leading cause of death in babies 1 month to 1 year of age. Most SIDS death happen in babies under 6 months old. SIDS death is often associated with sleep, with no signs of suffering.

 There are no symptoms or warning signs of SIDS. These babies generally appear healthy or may have an upper respiratory infection or gastroenteritis in the last 2 weeks before their death.

How to lower the risk of sudden infant death syndrome:

1. Always place your baby on his back to sleep, even for naps. This is the safest sleep position for a baby to lower the risk of SIDS.
2. Always place your baby to sleep on a firm, flat mattress. Research has shown that placing your baby on soft mattresses greatly increases the risk of SIDS.
3. Avoid stuffed toys from your baby's sleep area. Keep all your pillows, comforters, and other soft items away from your baby's sleep area.
4. Try to make sure no one smokes around your baby.
5. Keep your baby in a warm environmemt. To many blankets or dresses may overheat your baby.
6. Make sure your infant's face and head stay uncovered during sleep.

• Most SIDS death happen in infant under 6 months old.
• Babies sleep on their stomachs are more likely to die of SIDS than babies sleep on their backs to sleep.
• Babies are more lilkely to die of SIDS if they are placed to sleep on top of soft bedding.

Diagnosis and tests of sids:

Diagnosis of SIDS is done by autopsy. Autopsies may be required by state law in an unexplainable death of the infant. Autopsy results are not able to confirm a cause of death, but may help add to the existing knowledge about SIDS.