Probably the most devastating thing a parent could go through is losing a child, more so if it occurs in a snap, and you were already there when it happened.
Know that the odds of your child potentially kowtowing to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are very, very slim if you are concerned that your baby might unexpectedly quit breathing during the night.
Know that there are environmental causes that can prevent SIDS (such as tummy sleep and loose bedding). On SIDS, here's more and what you should do with it.
May Sids Happen to an Infant?
SIDS is the unexplained mortality during the sleep of an otherwise stable infant. It often happens in children less than 1-year-old, often called "crib death."
Per ChildrensHospital.org, medical researchers really don't know precisely how it happens. Although the origin of SIDS remains unclear, several doctors and experts agree that SIDS is correlated with issues with the baby's ability to wake up from sleep, sense low oxygen levels, or blood carbon dioxide accumulation.
Sudden and unexplainable death may also be due to a rare condition termed Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) for children aged one to four years.
ChildrensHospital.org added that if experts can find no cause of death after a death scene examination, an autopsy, and a summary of the health records, a baby is confirmed to have died from SIDS. Therefore, SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion: only after all possible factors have been removed is SIDS as a cause of death decided.
SUDC Signs and Symptoms
It is not necessary to foresee or avoid SUDC at this point, according to RareDiseases.org. Nevertheless, virtually all children with SUDC were "until becoming unresponsive, assumed to be unconscious.
Before death, most were still in excellent health, though others had moderate sickness signs, such as cold symptoms or fever. There was a history of febrile seizures or a personal history of the condition of certain kids with SUDC.
ALSO READ: SIDS Risk Linked to Elevation
The Essence of Sound Sleep
To minimize the chance of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises providing a separate sleeping room for infants for the first six months. It is often meant to stop suffocation, strangulation, and capturing.
Although there is no 100 percent solution to avoid SIDS, there is a lot you can do to reduce the danger for your kid. According to Loop TT, here's how.
Placing a sleeping infant on his or her back
It places them at a higher risk of SIDS if an infant sleeps on their stomach or hand. These tasks place your baby's face in the mattress or sleeping region, which may smother them. Lay them on their backs any time you put your kid to sleep. Do not encourage them to sleep for long stretches of time in a car seat, stroller, or baby seat. Get them out and put them on their back on a flat surface or bed.
Firm bed, no fluffy bedding or toys
Always put your baby down to sleep on a secure sheet or pad in a crib or bassinet to avoid smothering or suffocation. A covered sheet is what your baby's crib wants. In your baby's crib, don't place sheets, quilts, pillows, plush animals, or crib bumpers.
Do not smoke around your baby
Here is a good explanation that you can stop before you get pregnant if you're a smoker. Smoking while you are pregnant is a big risk factor for SIDS, and the risks of SIDS are often raised by secondhand smoke around your child. Don't let anybody near your baby smoke.
Hold your sleeping infant next to you, just not in bed
Sleeping with another infant or an adult in the same room, sofa, or chair is unsafe for a kid. Making sure you place the baby back in the crib whenever you carry the baby to bed for breastfeeding or warmth. Often, if you are exhausted, you can fall asleep if you do not breastfeed while sitting on a couch or chair.
Breastfeed for as long as you can
It is said that breastfeeding reduces the incidence of SIDS. Some claim that breast milk can protect babies from infections that increase their risk of SIDS. When you breastfeed, do not consume alcohol since it puts your kid at risk for SIDS.
Prevent the kid from heat
Since overheating can increase the risk of SIDS for a kid, dress your child in light, comfortable sleeping clothes, and keep the room's temperature at a level that is comfortable for an adult. If you're concerned about the temperature of your kid, wrap him up in an "onesie" covering your sides, thighs, neck, and feet. Don't use a normal blanket, though. In it, your kid might get twisted or pull the blanket over his ears.
Do not give honey to a kid under the age of one
In very young children, honey can result in botulism (food poisoning caused by a bacterium). Never give a child under 1-year-old honey. SIDS can be related to botulism and the bacteria that triggers it.
Remember to ask any concerns you might have about SIDS, SIDS prevention, and keeping your baby warm, comfortable, and secure with your baby's doctor.
ALSO READ: Sudden Infant Death Risks Higher In Some Racial And Ethnic Groups
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