Crib death, or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), is the unexplained death of a healthy baby under one year old while sleeping. Risk factors include sleeping on the stomach, soft bedding, premature birth, co-sleeping, exposure to cigarette smoke, and low prenatal care. Preventative measures, such as placing babies on their backs to sleep, have significantly reduced SIDS rates.
Crib death is the sudden unexplained death of a child under one year of age, also known as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It usually occurs while the baby is sleeping, with no symptoms or warnings. The cause of cot death is unknown, but scientists have identified several risk factors that appear to make it more likely. Some preventative measures, such as putting babies to sleep on their backs, have been recommended and have significantly reduced SIDS rates.
Generally, crib death occurs in babies who appear healthy, while they are thought to be sleeping. The baby is usually put to sleep in the crib by a parent or caregiver. The parent returns later to find the child dead, with no sign of distress or struggle. If an autopsy is performed, no cause of death is found. It is the most common cause of death in children younger than 12 months; most cases occur between 2 and 4 months, but it is a relatively rare phenomenon.
Although the cause of cot death is unknown, there are several risk factors that make it more likely to occur. These include sleeping on the stomach, soft beds, premature birth, co-sleeping in a parent’s bed, exposure to cigarette smoke, and low levels of prenatal care. It has also been found that babies of African American or Native American descent are more likely to experience cot death than those of Caucasian ancestry. Being born to an adolescent mother, as part of a multiple birth or in a situation of poverty, also seems to increase the risk. It is currently unknown whether some risk factors contribute more to the occurrence of cot death than others.
Several preventative measures recommended by pediatric experts have drastically reduced the cot death rate. One measure is to avoid exposure to cigarette smoke during pregnancy and after delivery. Another is to make sure there are no soft bedding materials in the crib such as blankets, stuffed animals, and bumpers. Instead of using a blanket, babies should be dressed in sleepers or sleeping bags and the room should be kept at a comfortable temperature. Babies should sleep alone in their cribs, not in a family bed, sofa, or anywhere else.
The preventative measure believed to be the most effective in reducing the incidence of cot death is to have healthy babies always sleep on their backs and never on their stomachs or sides. This includes bedtime and napping, unless a medical condition prevents it. Since this method was introduced and advertised in 1992, the rates have dropped significantly. The sleep position is thought to be the best for babies to breathe easily.
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