Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)—otherwise called Cot death.” Many parents are unnecessarily afraid of the sudden death of their child in the first year of life during sleep, the cause of which cannot be explained by available methods (this is the definition ofSudden Infant Death Syndrome-SIDS). Cot death most commonly occurs between 2 and 3 months of age.
The risk of cot death is higher (risk group) when:
- the pregnancy was complicated by the mother’s disease (infection, anemia, bleeding)
- your baby was born prematurely (premature) or with low birth weight.
In this article, Niketrainers.com.co will tell you:
By following the recommendations below, you can minimize the risk of SIDS
Do not put your little one to sleep in a prone position. It has been observed that sitting on the prone while an infant is asleep increases the risk of SIDS.
Of course, during the day you can, and even should, lay your baby down this way, which stimulates him to “exercise”, but you have to watch him constantly.
The position on the back during sleep is currently considered to be the safest position for an infant, as placing a baby on its side does not prevent it from sliding off or turning over on its stomach. Recommendations for sleeping position may be temporarily changed by your doctor for certain conditions.
Do not use used mattresses in the baby’s cot.
It was found that the risk of SIDS was greater in infants who slept on used, worn and too soft mattresses. Such a mattress also increases the risk of overheating, as the child “sinks” into it.
The preferred sleeping surface is therefore a fairly firm, new mattress covered with a sheet. Also, remember that newborns and infants don’t need a pillow. Also, do not leave toys, clothes, plastic bags or nappies near your baby.
Many cots have an adjustable mattress level. However, do not forget to lower it as your baby grows, because when he learns to sit up and then stand up, he may fall out of bed.
Don’t overheat your baby – don’t dress him too thickly and keep him warm in the room where he sleeps.
The comfortable temperature in the room where the child sleeps is 18-21 ° C. Avoid wearing too many or too thick clothes (especially synthetic fabrics) and use a light duvet (when toddler is properly dressed, it is not needed at all). Make sure that the baby’s head is not covered, as it is a large heat exchange area with the environment. In addition, place the baby’s crib away from heat sources (that is, from a radiator, stove or heater).
Scrupulous observance of the principles of preventing the child from overheating is especially important in the case of an infant’s illness, especially with fever.
Do not sleep with a toddler in the same bed. Put your baby to sleep in its own bed.
It was noted that infants who developed SIDS were more likely to sleep in the same bed with their mother. The risk of SIDS was especially high when the mother slept with the infant, who was smoking, taking medication, consuming alcohol or falling asleep very tired.
It was also considered dangerous to sleep the infant in the same bed with its siblings.
For your safety and comfort (as well as peace of mind), a toddler’s cot should be in his parents’ bedroom for at least the first 6 months of his life.
Do not smoke during pregnancy and after having a baby, and do not allow anyone else to smoke in your home!
Many studies have shown a link between smoking by the pregnant and mother of the infant and a high risk of SIDS. This risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The substances contained in tobacco smoke cause chronic intoxication and hypoxia of the fetus and infant. A weakened infant in this way is more susceptible to adverse external factors that can lead to SIDS (seeProtection against tobacco smoke).
If a woman becomes pregnant, both she and her husband should stop smoking immediately.
After the baby is born, it is not enough for mom not to smoke in the presence of the baby – she exhales toxic substances with the air and can still be harmful to her baby.
Tobacco smoke seeps into household fabrics (carpets, carpets, curtains, curtains, etc.), so harmful substances persist in the home where they are on fire (see:Protection against tobacco smoke).
When your baby is 6 weeks old, you can give him a teether while he falls asleep (see:Oral Hygiene).
Sucking on a pacifier protects against SIDS to some extent, so it is even suggested to use it until the age of 1.
If you are breastfeeding your baby, do not use a nipple until the baby is 6 weeks old so that he or she learns how to suckle the breast and your lactation is stabilized.
Give your baby a pacifier when he is falling asleep, and when he spits it out, do not put it in again. If your little one spits out a pacifier and refuses to suck it, don’t use it at all. Remember to keep the soother clean.
Do not use devices to monitor your healthy baby’s breathing.
The breathing monitor is a device that records the baby’s breathing movements while it is asleep and, in the event ofapnea– that is, a prolonged pause in breathing (see below) – notifies the parents with an audible alarm. However, this device has not been shown to reduce the risk of SIDS in the general population. Some moms who use a breathing monitor are often more stressed. It happens that the device triggers a false alarm, and mom feels the need to check her toddler more often and wake her up from sleep. This disturbs the family’s peace of mind.
Respiratory monitoring with a special monitor can be considered in some specific situations where the risk of SIDS is higher than average (although it only occurs in a small percentage of children in these groups, and the effectiveness of this prophylaxis has not been studied):
- in children whose respiratory and circulatory conditions are unstable
- in patients with certain diseases at risk of apnea
- in infants who have already undergone a life-threatening incident (respiratory arrest, flabbiness, the need for resuscitation)
- in children whose siblings developed SIDS.
Will breastfeeding protect my little one from SIDS?
Purely breastfeeding reduces the risk of SIDS by, inter alia, reducing the risk of infections ordiarrhea(and subsequent dehydration). In addition, breastfed infants wake up more often at night than formula-fed infants, which is recognized as a protective mechanism against SIDS.
How can I check if my toddler is breathing properly while sleeping?
Parents, especially young mothers, are often concerned about the breathing patterns of a sleeping little infant. When watching a toddler, anxious parents at one point ask themselves a dramatic question: “Is our child breathing? Is he alive? ” Then they wake the baby up to allay their fears and disrupt the baby’s restful sleep.
A healthy infant’s breathing is faster, shallower, and less regular than that of an adult or older child, and breathing movements are less visible – it is easier to see the movement of the tummy than the chest. If the nasal passages are clear and unobstructed, the baby will breathe softly.
In a young infant, breathing is often periodic – there are periods of rapid breathing followed by a break of several or even several seconds. This is not cause for concern. This breathing pattern disappears as the baby matures.
Important
Go to the doctor urgently if you notice that the child:
- Breathe loudly (e.g. with a whistle) and heavily (i.e. with a lot of effort).
- His lips and skin turn blue during a break in breathing (apnea) and/or he has seizures.
- He coughswhile sleeping for no apparent reason.
- he has a wheezing breath and is choking
- while playing, he temporarily loses contact with his surroundings