The back-to-sleep position is the best option from birth until the baby can roll over by him or herself.Īlthough many parents are afraid babies will choke on spit-up or vomit if placed on their back, studies have not found any evidence of increased risk of choking or other problems.īecause of safety concerns, always check with your infant’s primary care provider before elevating the head of the crib if he or she has been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux.

Studies have shown that placing babies on their back to sleep has reduced the number of SIDS cases by as much as a half in countries where babies had traditionally slept on their stomach. Parents and other caregivers should put babies to sleep on their back as opposed to on their stomach or side. Put your baby on his or her back for sleep, even at naptime. The risk of SIDS is higher for babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy. These measures may also reduce the chance of having a premature or low birthweight baby, which would also be at higher risk for SIDS. Proper nutrition, no smoking or drug or alcohol use by the mother, and frequent medical checkups beginning early in pregnancy might help prevent a baby from developing an abnormality that could put him or her at risk for sudden death. Early and regular prenatal care can help reduce the risk for SIDS. However, there are a few measures parents can take to lower the risk of their baby dying from SIDS, including the following: There currently is no way of predicting which babies will die from SIDS. Learn more about the concerns and studies related to vaccines and SIDS from the Vaccine Education Center at CHOP. No vaccines have not been shown to cause SIDS.

If one or both parents is found to be a carrier, the baby can be tested soon after birth. If there is a family history of these disorders or of childhood death of unknown cause, genetic screening of the parents by a blood test can determine if they are carriers of this disorder. These babies can develop high levels of abnormal proteins that could lead to a rapid and deadly interruption in breathing and heart functioning. Some babies who die suddenly may be born with a metabolic disorder. Such effects might be strong enough to cause the baby's death, particularly if the baby has an underlying brain defect. Some of these proteins can interact with the brain to change heart rate and breathing during sleep, or can put the baby into a deep sleep. The numbers of cells and proteins made by the immune system of some SIDS babies have been reported to be higher than normal. When babies sleep on their stomachs, they breathe exhaled air (with carbon dioxide) trapped in the bedding and sheets. Respiratory infections that cause breathing problems. This may also explain why more SIDS cases occur during the colder months of the year, when respiratory and intestinal infections are more common. This may explain why babies who sleep on their stomachs are at higher risk for SIDS, and why a large number of SIDS babies have been reported to have respiratory infections before their deaths. A baby with a brain abnormality, however, might not be born with this ability to protect themselves. This changes their heartbeat or breathing patterns to make up for the lowered oxygen and excess carbon dioxide. Normally, babies sense when they do not get enough air and their brain triggers them to wake from sleep and to cry. Examples of a lack of oxygen and excessive carbon dioxide levels may include the following: Events such as decreased oxygen, too much carbon dioxide intake, overheating, or an infection may be related to SIDS. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy, for example, can reduce the amount of oxygen the fetus receives.Įvents after birth. These abnormalities may be caused by exposure of the baby during pregnancy to a toxic substance, or from a decrease in oxygen. Some SIDS babies are born with brain abnormalities that make them vulnerable to sudden death during infancy. Evidence has shown that some babies who die from SIDS have the following:īrain abnormalities. Some risk factors are preventable, but others are not. There are some factors which make babies higher risk for SIDS. The exact causes of SIDS are still unclear and research is ongoing.

What causes scids