Winter Colds, Over-Wrapping Raise the Risk of SIDS

Sudden infant death syndrome is the leading cause of death in infants under one year age.

It is a frightening prospect because it strikes without warning.

Parents and caretakers should give extra care during cold winter months which put your child in the risk of SIDS.

Over wrapping which leads to thermal stress, is one of the main risk factor of SIDS. Many parents are not aware of this condition. New parents do not know about the risk factors of SIDS and how to properly put their baby to sleep.

According to the recent studies, placing babies to sleep on their back is the safest position, but many of them continue to place their infants in side-sleep positions or face-down positions, both of which are risk factors of SIDS.

For unsafe sleeping position, if you add over-wrapping and viral or bacterial infections, it may increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Several studies have shown that infants sleep with too many blankets or wraps and in crowded bed with family members. Infants who are sick need to expel the heat from their fever, so over-wrapping the infant is the worst thing in that situation.

The other risk factors of sudden infant death syndrome are prematurity or low birth weight, poor pregnancy care, exposure to smoke following birth, drinking, smoking, drug usage, and stomach sleeping.

Prevention of sudden infant death syndrome:

• Place your infant to sleep on their back rather than their stomachs. Back sleeping babies awaken easily from sleep when there is life threatening event. Back sleeping babies face and internal organs are exposed so that they can radiate heat more readily. Infants sleeping on their back breathe more oxygen than sleeping on their stomach. Therefore they are less likely to suffocate.
• Give your child a safe sleeping environment. The atmosphere should be comfortably warm but not too warm. Over-wrapping results in overheating and has been shown to increase the risk of SIDS. Don’t cover your child’s head completely. The environment around baby’s head is important for maintaining a safe body temperature. Don’t over-wrap sick babies, as it makes them hotter.
• Don’t dress your baby with too many clothes or too few clothes. The clothes should give comfort, warmth and safety to the child. The clothes should not overheat the child and make them restless.
• Pregnant women should not smoke when babies are in womb. Parents or caretakers should not smoke in child’s bedroom or they should not smoke in front of them. They should not even take the child if they smoke.
• Breastfeeding reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Breastfeeding fights against infection and reduces gastro esophageal reflux. Breastfeeding promotes safer sleep.
• Never allow your baby to share a bed with parents. The baby should be kept in her/his own crib in the parent’s room. The parent’s bed may not be comfortable for the child to sleep. The parents may even roll up on the child in sleep and cause suffocation to the child.
• During pregnancy, good nutrition lowers the risk of prematurity and anemia. Doctors should counsel the parents about safe sleep, precautions to be taken of the infant and regular check up until the first year of child.