What is sudden infant death syndrome?
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby, usually during sleep, in its first year of life.
It is one of the leading causes of death in the first year of life in developed countries, excluding the newborn period.
What causes this syndrome?
The causes of sudden infant death syndrome remain unknown, and a multitude of factors, including genetic and environmental factors, may be at its origin.
How can I lower the risk of the syndrome occurring?
There are some practical recommendations that have been shown to decrease the risk considerably:
- Lay the baby to sleep on his back: the risk of sudden death increases greatly when the baby is put to sleep on his side or stomach
- Do not cover the baby's head:
- Do not cover the baby above the shoulder line
- Keep the blanket attached to the sides
- Feet should touch the bottom of the crib
- Do not smoke or let anyone smoke in the environment your child breathes
- Promote a safe environment:
- Put the baby to sleep in its own crib
- the mattress should be firm and there should be no gaps between the mattress and the crib, do not dress the baby with too much clothing and keep the temperature of the room between 18 and 21ºC
- Avoid having pillows, stuffed animals or loose objects in the crib
- If possible, breastfeed your baby: breastfeeding and pacifier use have been described as protective factors against sudden death