Tuesday, March 18, 2014

What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome?




Abbie





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As the name implies, SIDS is the sudden and unexplained death of an infant who is younger than 1 year old. It is a frightening prospect because it can strike without warning, usually in a seemingly healthy infant. Most SIDS deaths are associated with sleep (hence the common reference to "crib death"), and infants who die of SIDS show no signs of suffering.

While most conditions or diseases usually are diagnosed by the presence of specific symptoms, most SIDS diagnoses come only after all other possible causes of death have been ruled out through a review of the infant's medical history and environment. This review helps distinguish true SIDS deaths from those resulting from accidents, abuse, and previously undiagnosed conditions, such as cardiac or metabolic disorders.

When considering which babies could be most at risk, no single risk factor is likely to be sufficient to cause a SIDS death. Rather, several risk factors combined may contribute to cause an at-risk infant to die of SIDS.

Most deaths due to SIDS occur between 2 and 4 months of age, and incidence increases during cold weather. African-American infants are twice as likely and Native American infants are about three times more likely to die of SIDS than caucasian infants. More boys than girls fall victim to SIDS.

Other potential risk factors include:

smoking, drinking, or drug use during pregnancy
poor prenatal care
prematurity or low birth-weight
mothers younger than 20
smoke exposure following birth
overheating from excessive sleepwear and bedding
stomach sleeping
Stomach sleeping. Foremost among these risk factors is stomach sleeping. Numerous studies have found a higher incidence of SIDS among babies placed on their stomachs to sleep than among those sleeping on their backs or sides. Some researchers have hypothesized that stomach sleeping puts pressure on a child's jaw, therefore narrowing the airway and hampering breathing.

Another theory is that stomach sleeping can increase an infant's risk of "rebreathing" his or her own exhaled air, particularly if the infant is sleeping on a soft mattress or with bedding, stuffed toys, or a pillow near the face. In that scenario, the soft surface could create a small enclosure around the baby's mouth and trap exhaled air. As the baby breathes exhaled air, the oxygen level in the body drops and carbon dioxide accumulates. Eventually, this lack of oxygen could contribute to SIDS.

Also, infants who succumb to SIDS may have an abnormality in the arcuate nucleus, a part of the brain that may help control breathing and awakening during sleep. If a baby is breathing stale air and not getting enough oxygen, the brain usually triggers the baby to wake up and cry. That movement changes the breathing and heart rate, making up for the lack of oxygen. But a problem with the arcuate nucleus could deprive the baby of this involuntary reaction and put him or her at greater risk for SIDS.

Do you rate and review the toys and such that you buy for your baby?




Chelsea


My daughter recieved this awesome toy for her birthday and she loved it. She picked up how to play with it right away. In all the reviews I read online about it.. it said it was a waste of money because baby never got intrested. So i decided to rate the toy since there was nothing positive about it on there. I think i'm going to do it with most of her toys. Haha.

Anyway, Have you or do you rate and review your babys toys and such?



Answer
I do- especially if they are good! I want other parents to know the same.

It's funny you mentioned that though- I wrote a review after reading a review on our baby's infant bouncy seat. It's a Baby Einstein...and everyone said that after a time, the music and lights no longer played. We had that problem too and discovered it was because it was not pushed in all the way- and I mean all the way. So, that's what started me with writing a review. I also wrote a review for our SUV recently- because I love it. It's almost 1 now and it's been awesome in any kind of weather...so I guess I believe in spreading the word.




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