Researchers Find Clue to SIDS Early Detection 197
SpaceAdmiral writes "The Globe and Mail is reporting that scientists have found babies who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) tend to have an abnormality in their brain stem. By linking SIDS to a biological cause, it may now be possible to test for the abnormality and treat babies at risk of SIDS."
Re:Awesome! More tests for Babies!!! (Score:3, Informative)
If the risk went from 1 in 300 to 1 in 150, the risk went up, not down.
Re:A promising theory (Score:4, Informative)
Dr. James McKenna is the leading researcher on this issue. Here's [naturalchild.org] an article that discusses his findings on the effects of parental proximity on infant sleep breathing. (For more info about him and his work in general, check out this [nd.edu] page.)
Also, I don't think it's mentioned in that article, but most of the recommendations against co-sleeping as SIDS prevention stem from one big New Zealand study (the kiwis have traditionally kept the best statistics on SIDS, so a lot of info comes from their data). That study initially found a statistically significant correlation between co-sleeping and SIDS deaths. However, later re-examination of the data found that, when controlling for maternal smoking (a factor that has been linked to SIDS by several studies), the correlation between co-sleeping and SIDS disappeared. New Zealand has a fairly large Maori population, which both is more likely to smoke and is more likely to co-sleep, and that caused the cross-correlation.
So yes, unless parents have particular health issues which make it unsafe (such as alcohol or drug use, extreme obesity, or certain sleep disorders) co-sleeping is safer than crib-sleeping. Dr. McKenna has found that the beneficial effects of sleeping near Mom extend even to kids in a crib in the same room as their parents, too, so for those with problems that prevent bed-sharing, modified co-sleeping is another way to keep baby safe. The cultural notion that sleep is an intensely private activity that should only be shared with your spouse does interfere with the safety of young children (and not just with SIDS; I remember hearing a story about a two-year-old who woke up in the middle of the night, decided to climb up her dresser, and was found dead in the morning after it toppled onto her... I can't imagine that happening to my two-year-old, since he still sleeps next to us!).
Re:Incomplete explanation (Score:2, Informative)
I work in emergency medicine (have for many years), and am currently working on my Phd in pharmacy. I have seen first hand infants who have died, and the death attributed to SIDS. I am going to dispel the misconceptions here & now about your comment on "shaking" and other similar accusations.
Shaking or slapping a child causing injury to the brain leaves signs & is easily recognizable. Battle's signs (bruising behind the ears) are prevalent in such a case of abuse, even post mortem. Abuse is easy to spot for a trained professional. Battle's signs is only one of many signs we look for to spot deaths caused by potential abuse. Edema (swelling), contusions or ecchymosis (bruising, which can also be seen on/in the brain during autopsy) are some of the most common signs.
Asphyxiation (suffocation) can be ruled out quickly on scene. Petechial hemorrhages (burst blood vessels) are seen in the eyes, neck and face, if asphyxiation is the cause of death. The signs of this are also present in the lungs post mortem.
SIDS is respiratory in nature. The infant's respiratory system shuts down, which then induces cardiac arrest (due to lack of oxygen from not breathing), then death. There is no visible trauma to an infant that dies of SIDS, external or internal. Extensive testing is done to see if there are any other prevalent problems that may have caused the infants death. Everything is ruled out prior to labeling the cause as SIDS. All possibilities are examined.
It is wonderful that a commonality has been found, which may lead to a better diagnosis of this terrible malady. At the very least, perhaps now this will give doctors a definitive way to determine what children are at risk and allow them to inform parents so that steps can be taken to monitor their children. Training can be given, in the forum of infant CPR (some hospitals now require it of parents, some do not) which can sustain the life of the child until trained medical personnel arrive.
Little is known about why these children stop breathing. The more that can be found out, the better. The children are our future and we had better protect them.
Here are some interesting statistical facts for you:
Most SIDS attributed deaths occur for infants between 2-4 months of age.
SIDS has/can occur in infants under 1yr of age.