Reducing the Risk of SIDS

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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants one month to one year of age. SIDS is the diagnosis given for the sudden death of an apparently healthy infant under one year of age that remains unexplained after a complete investigation, including autopsy, death scene investigation, and review of the medical history. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, SIDS is the leading cause of death for infants between one month and one year of age, though most cases occur between one and four months of age.

While medical science has yet to identify a single, definitive cause of SIDS, evidence suggests that some infants may have neurological or physical abnormalities that make them more prone to SIDS. Research has shown, however, that several non-medical factors can also be associated with SIDS, most notably sleeping position, but also crib bedding and blankets, exposure to second-hand smoke, low birthweight, and inadequate prenatal care.While there is currently no way of predicting which newborns may die of SIDS, parents and caregivers can do several things to reduce the risk of SIDS.

Rates of SIDS nationally, statewide, and locally declined significantly during the 1990's due in large part to the "Back to Sleep" campaign that encouraged parents to place their babies on their backs to sleep, rather than on their stomachs. In Kent County, the number of SIDS deaths declined over 50%, from an average of 26 per year in 1990-1992, to just over 10 per year in 1998-2000. The "Back to Sleep" campaign was begun in 1992. In addition to sleep position, safe sleep environments free of pillows, padded mattresses, thick blankets, and stuffed toys, have also been shown to reduce the risk of accidental suffocation and SIDS.