By Carla Corban Kath, McClatchy Newspapers.
A sleeping infant. It’s what new parents dream about when they are sitting in a rocking chair, wide awake at 3 a.m.
In addition to an abrupt change of their own sleeping habits, parents also have to sort through mixed messages about safe sleeping environments for their children. And Grandma may not know best when it comes to current guidelines.
According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, sudden infant death syndrome is the leading cause of death in infants between 1 month and 1 year of age.
According to the institute, SIDS is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant younger than 1 year, which cannot be explained after an autopsy, an investigation of the scene and circumstances of the death, and a review of the medical history of the infant and his or her family.
Because the causes are still unknown, SIDS cannot be entirely prevented. However, there are tips to help families and caregivers reduce the risk.
The institute, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics and other partners, in 1994 launched the national Back to Sleep campaign. The campaign recommends that healthy babies be placed on their backs to sleep in a crib free of soft bedding. Since the campaign began, SIDS deaths have dropped by almost 50 percent.
Regardless of the progress, there are still many misconceptions about safe sleeping environments.
Cheryl Herzog Arneill, community educator for SIDS Resources in Kansas City, Mo., blames retailers for some of the confusion.
“Visit the crib section in any retail store, and you’ll likely find fluffy blankets, bumper pads and soft toys displayed in cribs,” Arneill says. “Any of these soft objects and toys should remain out of your infant’s sleep area.”
Another misconception that Arneill encounters is the fear that a baby will choke while sleeping on his or her back. She says that research proves that babies handle spit-up better when on their backs than their tummies.
Grandparents might not be familiar with current crib rules. A recent study by Ipsos Public Affairs on behalf of the maker of the Halo SleepSack wearable blanket, found that grandparents are more likely than parents to place babies on their sides or stomachs to sleep.
The older generation also is more likely to place unnecessary and potentially dangerous objects in babies’ cribs, increasing the risk for SIDS and accidental suffocation.
In 1991, Halo Innovations founder Bill Schmid lost a daughter to SIDS when she was placed on her stomach while under a grandparent’s care. The accident motivated Schmid to develop research-based products such as the Halo SleepSack, which cannot be kicked off by an infant like loose blankets can. It also comes without sleeves, a design that claims to reduce the risk of re-breathing into the sleeve and overheating.
“We really didn’t understand the potential dangers of the sleep environment when she died ... and we’ve got a lot of work left to do,” Schmid says.
Sleep safety tips
Follow these recommendations to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome and prevent accidental deaths.
• Babies should sleep on their backs (not stomach or sides), whether sleeping day or night.
• Keep loose or fluffy bedding away from the infant and his/her sleep area, and use a firm, tight-fitting mattress.
• Room-sharing with your infant is OK, but bed-sharing is not advised.
• Keep a baby comfortably warm but not too warm — overheating can trigger SIDS.
• Do not smoke. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, smoking during pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of SIDS. Studies also found that cigarette smoke in an infant’s sleep environment is a risk factor.
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