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Sudden infant death, also known as SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), is a tragic event that can happen to infants in the first year of life.It is a set of symptoms that leads to the sudden and inexplicable death of a child while sleeping.It is worth understanding what SIDS is, when it most often occurs, and what the risk factors and methods of preventing this terrifying situation are.
What is sids?
Sudden infant death, or SIDS, is a condition that occurs when a healthy infant dies suddenly and unexpectedly, usually while sleeping.This event remains unexplained after thorough medical tests, an autopsy and the exclusion of other causes of death.SIDS is usually diagnosed in children between 1 month and 1 year of age, although it most often appears between 2 and 4 months of age.
When does it occur most often?
SIDS is the most common cause of sudden death in infants in the first year of life.Statistics show that most cases of SIDS occur between the 2nd and 4th month of a child’s life, and the peak incidence occurs around the 2-3rd month of life.Babies born prematurely or with low birth weight are at increased risk of SIDS.
Risk factors for sudden infant death
Although the causes of SIDS are not fully understood, there are many risk factors that can increase the likelihood of developing this syndrome.Here are some of the main risk factors:
- Excessive heat while the baby sleeps.
- Smoking cigarettes around the baby, both before and after birth.
- Covering the baby’s head while sleeping.
- Sleeping on a hard bed, couch or armchair with your baby.
- No breastfeeding.
- History of SIDS in the family.
How to prevent sids?
While the risk of SIDS cannot be completely eliminated, there are many steps parents and caregivers can take to minimize the risk:
- Place the baby to sleep on its back, on a hard, flat mattress, in a bed adapted to the baby’s needs.
- Do not use soft pillows, blankets or stuffed toys in your baby’s bed.
- Maintain the right temperature in the room to avoid your baby overheating.
- Forbid smoking near the baby and do not allow anyone else to smoke around the baby.
- Breastfeed your baby if possible, as this is associated with a lower risk of SIDS.
Your suggestions
Remember that each child is different, so it is worth consulting a pediatrician and following his recommendations regarding infant sleep.Also try to be vigilant and attentive to your baby by observing him while he sleeps.
Recommended articles
To learn more about SIDS and safe infant sleep, we recommend reading the following articles:
- “Safe sleep for babies – what should you know?”
- “Breastfeeding and infant health”
- “Smoking during pregnancy – impact on the baby and how to stop smoking”
It is worth being aware of the risk of sudden infant death and taking all precautions to protect the health and life of our little ones.