It's understandable for parents to be concerned about sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or the sudden, unexplained death of a baby under 1 years old. It is the leading cause of death among infants in the first year of life. But the SIDS risk declines with age—most SIDS deaths occur before 6 months and the majority fall between 2 and 4 months.
While the prospect of SIDS can be scary, it can be helpful for parents to learn the facts about SIDS and what they can do to lower the risk.
“Every parent of a newborn should be aware of SIDS,” says Cynthia Ambler, MD, a pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine. “I talk about SIDS with the parents in my practice at the very first visit, usually in the first 24 hours of the baby's life. There is no test that can tell when SIDS is going to happen, but there are things that parents can do to lower the chance that it will happen.”
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How Common Is SIDS?
The good news is SIDS cases have been on the decline since 1994. “The incident of SIDS has declined by more than 50% in the U.S. since the early 1990s when the ‘Back to Sleep' campaign was launched,” says Dr. Ambler. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) program, which is now called the “Safe Sleep” campaign, urges caregivers to place infants on their backs to sleep andoffer a safe sleep environment.
SIDS rates declined from 130.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 38.4 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It's important to note that SIDS is a type of SUID or sudden unexpected infant death. These two terms are often confused but they are not interchangeable.
"SUID is a term used to describe the sudden and unexpected death of a baby less than 1 years old in which the cause was not obvious before presentation," explains William Mudd, DO, a pediatrician at Cleveland Clinic Children's. "The deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby's sleep environment. This is an umbrella term that would include SIDS, accidental deaths (such as suffocation and strangulation), sudden natural deaths (such as those caused by infections, cardiac or metabolic disorders, and neurological conditions), and homicides."
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SIDS Risk by Age
SIDS may occur at any time during a child's first year of life, but it's more likely to happen earlier on. The National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Safe to Sleep campaign breaks down the numbers:
More than 90% of SIDS cases happen before 6 months of age72% of SIDS death take place between 1 to 4 months of ageThe SIDS risk decreases after 8 months of age
What Are SIDS Risk Factors?
While experts don't know exactly what causes SIDS, certain factors can increase the risk:
Being born premature or with low birth weight. These infants are up to 4 times more likely to die of SIDS than those born full-term.Smoking or drinking during pregnancy. Same goes for secondhand smoke after a baby is born.Baby's sex. SIDS is slightly more common in males.An unsafe sleep environment.
Brain defects and respiratory infections may also be risk factors.
How Can Parents Prevent SIDS?
Preventing SIDS may not always be possible but there are several things parents can do to decrease the risk. "SIDS is an absolutely devastating situation for families and we want to take all the preventative steps that we can to mitigate the risk," says Dr. Mudd.
Place babies on their back to sleep. In the first few months of life, babies aren't able to lift their own heads because their muscles aren't fully developed. This means they can't maneuver themselves to a position that allows them to breathe.Avoid overheating. Don't dress babies in too many layers to sleep and keep the bedroom cool between 68-72°F.Don't swaddle once a baby can turn over. Remove any loose bedding or any objects for them cribs. That includes pillows and bumper pads. These can all pose a suffocation or strangulation risk. Babies should only sleep on a firm surface in a crib on their own. “They should never sleep in your bed but should sleep in your room for at least the first 6 months of life,” says Dr. Ambler.Nurse. Research shows nursing for at least two months lowers the risk of SIDS.Give your baby a pacifier. This has been found to reduce SIDS as it can help with breathing control and airway patency.Vaccinate. Research has found baby vaccinations can reduce SIDS.
Keep in mind, SIDS monitors will not help. These devices marketed to prevent or reduce SIDS have not been found to work. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not cleared or approved any of these devices either.
Check out our guide for more information on safe sleep.
Updated byAnna Halkidis
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