Simple Air Circulation Could Help to Prevent SIDS

When preparing the nursery for your new arrival, adding a fan to the list of necessities may be beneficial. A fan could help to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the number one killer of infants from one month to one year old. When placing a box fan in both of my boy’s rooms, to help drown out background noise, I didn’t realize I was helping to prevent SIDS, but thank goodness, it may have aided in the prevention of the very scary infant killer.
Researchers with Kaiser Permanente in California recently reported on their study, which involved interviews with mothers of 185 babies who died from SIDS, and 312 other infants, from 11 counties around California. According to the study, recently published in the latest issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, babies who slept with a fan in their room reduced their chances of dying from SIDS by 72 percent. Researchers feel fans may help to circulate fresh air and prevent babies from suffocating by re-breathing exhaled carbon dioxide, one of the culprits many doctors feel causes SIDS. The fans seemed to provide greater protection for babies who slept in warmer environments, over 69 degrees. Opening a window and allowing fresh air to circulate around a baby’s room may also help to prevent SIDS, but it could be just coincidence, according to the study.
Since the early 1990s, infant deaths from SIDS have been cut in half, mostly due to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations of babies being placed to sleep on their backs rather than their bellies, a firm mattress be used, and to avoid loose bedding in a babies crib. For many years, parents were told to place their babies to sleep on their tummies, but after extensive monitoring and research, doctors and researchers feel it is better to place babies to sleep on their backs, which helps prevent babies from suffocating with their faces being pressed into the mattress. Pacifiers also seem to aid in preventing SIDS, due to the handle keeping infants faces from pressing against their mattress.
Dr. De-Kun Li, the lead researcher of the study and a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist with Kaiser Permanente's research division, explained that young babies have weak neck muscles, which limits their ability to turn their heads and sometimes may prevent them from breathing fresh air. Even though the key step in preventing SIDS is still placing a baby on their back to sleep, extra steps such as using a fan in a baby’s room to prevent SIDS, and several other steps should be followed. .
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has several guidelines for preventing SIDS deaths. However, there are still 2,500 SIDS deaths annually, possibly due to parents not following guidelines that have been issued by the AAP. In fact, according to Pediatrics October issue, around 25 percent of babies are still being placed to sleep on their tummies and 34 percent of babies are sleeping with their parents regularly, which is not recommended by the AAP. Another study involving childcare facilities, showed back sleeping was only being implemented a little over 50% of the time. The number increased to 62 percent following education of parents and child-care facilities. Placing a baby to sleep on their backs seems such a simple task to help prevent a baby’s death, but there is still a large part of the population unaware of the risks involved with tummy sleeping. More education is needed for child-care providers and parents.
The AAP has made several recommendations for preventing SIDS. They are listed below and further information in regards to SIDS prevention can be found on their website at www.healthychildcare.org.Healthy babies should always sleep on their backs. Side sleeping is not as safe as back sleeping and is not advised.Get a physician's note for non-back sleepers that explains why the baby should not use a back-sleeping position.Use safety-approved cribs and firm mattresses (cradles and bassinets may provide safe sleeping enclosures, but safety standards have not been established for these items).Keep cribs free of toys, stuffed animals, and extra bedding.Place the child's feet to the foot of the crib and tuck in a light blanket along the sides and foot of the mattress. The blanket should not come up higher than the infant's chest. Another option is to use sleep clothing and nothing else in the infant's crib.Keep the room at a temperature that is comfortable for a lightly clothed adult.Visually check on sleeping babies often.No smoking around babies. Make sure babies are being watched when you go outside to smoke. Child care providers who smoke should do so outside, with an overcoat on. The overcoat will be removed when they return to work. Never allow smoking in a room where babies sleep, as exposure to smoke in a room where babies sleep, as exposure to smoke is linked to an increased risk of SIDS.Have supervised "tummy time" for awake babies. This will help babies strengthen their muscles and develop normally.Sleep only 1 baby per crib.