Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): causes and signs

1. What does Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) mean?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death in babies in their first year of life. Children under the age of two or after the age of six months are rarely affected, and children over the age of one year are almost never affected. The term Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), also known as infant death syndrome, describes the sudden death of a child, usually during bedtime, for which there is no clear cause. All other conceivable natural or unnatural causes of death such as infections, metabolic disorders, malformations or accidents can be ruled out without exception in the case of “sudden infant death”.

2. “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” (SIDS): Cause not clearly clarified

The causes of “sudden infant death” have not been clearly clarified. There are now more than 200 theories about the triggers. The only thing that is clear is what happens in the last minutes of the affected baby’s life: the heartbeat slows down due to a lack of oxygen and the carbon dioxide level in the blood rises. Actually, this would be the strongest incentive to breathe, but the children fall into a kind of emergency breathing. Due to the now only isolated, snapping breaths, the lack of oxygen is getting bigger and bigger. The sleeping baby goes into cardiac arrest, becomes unconscious and suffocates.

3. Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

The older your baby gets, the lower the risk of it dying of “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome”. It is believed that several risk factors must come together for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) to occur at all. The main risk factors include:

• A very young age of the mother (less than 20 years)
• multiple births
• premature births
• Smoking during and after pregnancy (whether father or mother)
• drug consumption
• Prone position of the child while sleeping
• Not breastfeeding (especially during the night)
• Overheating or hypothermia of the baby in the cot

4. Symptoms of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Even if “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” always occurs unexpectedly, there are first signs that you should definitely see your pediatrician for:

• breathing pauses of the baby
• bruises on the skin
• profuse sweating while sleeping
• striking pallor in sleep
• frequent vomiting
• problems drinking
• frequent ingestion
• difficult awakening
• noticeable shrill screaming

If your baby has a cold or fever for more than three days, you should also consult a doctor. So you can be sure that your baby’s airways are always free during sleep.

5. Prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

By following these simple measures, you can reduce some risk factors:

Supine position: Always put your baby to sleep on their back and never on their stomach. When your baby is awake, lying on your stomach is of course okay and also important for the development of motor skills. It is also better to avoid lying on your side when you put your baby to sleep, because it can easily roll onto its stomach.

Smoking ban: Passive smoking is dangerous. You should therefore always ensure a smoke-free environment. Smoking during pregnancy should be taboo anyway.

Space in bed: A good baby bed, a firm mattress and a sleeping bag are all your baby needs to sleep. The sleeping bag should of course correspond to the season. Blankets, pillows, cuddly toys, a nest or other toys have no place in your baby’s bed. It needs a lot of air to breathe and the air supply can be restricted by a mattress that is too soft and plush companions. In addition, your baby could suffocate if, for example, a pillow slips on his face.

Room temperature: The best room temperature for your baby to sleep is between 16 and 18 degrees Celsius. In rooms that are too warm, there is a risk that your baby will overheat. You should therefore never put it to bed with a hat on. You can easily check your baby’s body temperature between his shoulder blades. Warm and dry skin shows you that your baby is neither too hot nor too cold.

Own bed or family bed: In the first six months, your baby sleeps best in the same room as you do. After that, it should definitely sleep within earshot until the end of the first year of life. However, whether it sleeps in its own bed or in a double bed, you have to decide for yourself. Many experts recommend having a bed of your own to avoid the risk of overheating, being crushed by a parent, or falling off the bed or into a crevice. Advocates of the family bed, on the other hand, emphasize the advantages of sleeping together: you have the child directly under control, the sleeping rhythm adapts to each other and you can react more directly to needs. However, everyone agrees that you should never let your child sleep in the same bed if one of the partners smokes or has consumed alcohol, drugs or strong medication.

Breastfeeding: If possible, breastfeed your baby for at least six months. This not only reduces the risk of “Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” but also of contracting other various diseases and infections .

Pacifier: Researchers have found that a pacifier can reduce the risk of cot death. So feel free to offer your child a pacifier to sleep on. If breastfeeding and a pacifier don’t work together, don’t try the pacifier again until you’re comfortable with breastfeeding. If your baby refuses a pacifier, then accept that. Breastfeeding also reduces the risk. Never use long pacifier chains, as your baby could strangle himself with them.

First Aid: Learn how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This can save your child’s life.

Hygiene: Always wash your hands thoroughly after changing diapers and before eating. The same applies to your baby’s hands and face. Wash your baby’s bedding regularly as well.

6. Process grief after sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Unfortunately, a diagnosis of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) does not provide a grieving family with accurate answers, despite numerous theories about its causes. In order to be able to cope with the death of the beloved child, it is advisable to seek psychological help in this situation, in which the older siblings of the deceased baby should definitely be involved.