the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Controversy

Read the information below about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and comment. It is an issue during Infancy that causes death to infants and devastates families. Please comment on the information below. Thank you.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome SIDS IS:

– a major cause of death in infants from 1 to 12 months (most between 1 to 4 months); the leading cause of death in babies after one month of age.

– it is characterized by a seemingly healthy victim. – and is currently, unpredictable and unpreventable.

– a death that occurs quickly, with no signs of suffering, and is usually associated with sleep with not other reasons for the death is considered a SIDS death. SIDS is considered a syndrome the first symptom of which is death and where the cause or causes are still unknown. A SIDS death determined only after an autopsy, death scene examination, and a case history review. SIDS is a diagnosis established by exclusion.

SIDS IS NOT:

– caused by vomiting and choking, or minor illnesses such as colds or infections.

– caused by the diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (DPT) vaccines, or other immunizations.

– contagious.

– a result of child abuse.

– the cause of every unexpected infant death.

Most researchers now believe that babies who die of SIDS are born with one or more conditions that make them vulnerable to both internal and external stresses that occur in the normal life of an infant. There seems to be a 6:4 male-to-female ratio. Medical researchers have identified some typical pathological characteristics of SIDS deaths (several subtle tissue changes common in SIDS autopsies). An increased number of star-shaped cells in the brainstem, referred to as brainstem gliosis, as a “nonspecific response to injury” (Goyco & Beckerman, 1990). The occurrence of tiny red or purple spots (minute hemorrhages) on the surface of the heart, lungs, and thymus. These spots have been identified in approximately 80 percent of SIDS cases (Krous, 1988). Many SIDS infants have abnormal neurons in the area of the brainstem that controls blood pressure and breathing. These abnormal neurons alone do not appear to cause SIDS, but when coupled with environmental stressors (e.g., sleeping on the stomach, soft bedding), the risk of SIDS may be increased. For instance, a baby who has difficulty breathing due to bedding being too close to the face has an “automatic” mechanism that triggers the baby to wake up and cry. Babies with these abnormal neurons in the brainstem may not wake up and cry. Babies who were exposed to smoke (either firsthand from the mother or secondhand from the father or others) are at an increased risk for SIDS.

CAN SIDS BE PREVENTED?

No product can stop SIDS from happening; however, research has identified factors commonly associated with SIDS, such as passive smoke exposure, stomach sleeping, and soft bedding. Risk factors can play an important part in the chain of events culminating in a SIDS death. In some cases, the elimination of a risk factor can alter the outcome, influencing the baby’s ability to survive. Since 1992, when the Back to Sleep advisory was first announced, the rate of SIDS has dropped 38 percent—the equivalent of sparing the lives of 2,000 infants a year in the U.S. Perhaps one reason why the SIDS rate is higher in African American and Native American infants is due to poor prenatal care and an inability to reach these populations with educational materials (e.g., information on the Back to Sleep campaign and so on). Some recent evidence suggests that breastfeeding might reduce the risk of SIDS. Breast milk might provide babies with added immunities against infections that could trigger SIDS. Sources: Goyco, P.G., & Beckerman, R.C. (1990). Sudden infant death syndrome. Current Problems in Pediatrics 20, 297-346. Krous, H.F. (1988). Pathological considerations of sudden infant death syndrome. Pediatrician, 15, 231-239. For more information: www.sids.org/researchproj.htm www.sidscenter.org The back to sleep campaign