SIDS is the sudden death of an infant between the ages of 1 month and 1 year, to which is unexplained after a thorough investigation. Imagine that you go to check on your sleeping infant only to find him dead. This is every parent’s worst nightmare that leaves a permanent mark and occurs in 1 in every 10,000 infants. It is the leading cause of death in the US for this age group. SIDS is not an illness or disease.
Risk factors
Exposure to cigarette smoke or a parent who smokes
Premature birth
Low birth weight
Tummy sleeping
Overheating during sleep (typically due to an overheated room or too many blankets)
Soft bedding or items in the infant’s bed (things that can block an infant’s airway)
Sleeping on a soft surface (overheating or blocking infant’s airway)
Smoking or around smokers during pregnancy
Using drugs during pregnancy
Babies that are born to teen mothers
Suffering an ALTE (apparent life-threatening event; ex. Stopped breathing and turned pale, blue, and limp and required resuscitation)
Certain ethnic backgrounds (highest for African Americans and American Indians)
Lower the risks