To Your Health
Editor’s note: The following is another in our new series of healthrelated columns. This one is written by Rachel Dumene, communications specialist with the Central Shenandoah Health District.
October is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month. SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant under 1 year of age. SIDS is one type of sudden unexpected infant death, which also includes deaths from accidental suffocation during sleep and deaths from other unknown causes.
SIDS is the leading cause of death for babies 1 month to 1 year old. While the exact cause of SIDS remains unknown, it is believed to be caused by either biological or environmental factors. While there are situations we cannot control, we do have the power to prevent some situations through preventative measures.
Biological Background and Believed Causes
Breathing is essential for life, and it is one of the first things we do after we are born. The part of our brains that controls our breathing is called the brainstem, which also controls other automatic bodily functions such as our heartbeat and blood pressure.
Usually, if our airway becomes obstructed while sleeping, our brainstems will signal us to wake up so we can find a way to breathe easier. For babies, this might not always be the case. One of the proposed causes of SIDS is that a baby’s brainstem might not be functioning properly and could fail to wake them from sleep if breathing becomes difficult.
Young babies may not always be able to move their heads or bodies away from a position that makes breathing difficult. This means that if they do wake up due to difficulty breathing, they might not be able to move their face to a place where they can breathe easier. This is precisely why a safe sleep environment is essential for children under 1 year.
What Is A Safe Sleep Environment?
A safe sleep environment is one that allows a baby to sleep without the risk of their airway becoming blocked or burdened. The most important guidance to remember for a safe sleep environment is the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone, on their back, in a crib.
Alone: It is recommended that babies sleep alone, free from another person in their sleep environment, including parents and other children. Their sleep environment should also be free from additional objects such as pillows, blankets, toys or crib bumpers, as all of these can increase the risk of SIDS occurring.
On their back: Babies should be placed on their back for each sleep and nap. Keeping a baby on their back lowers the risk of them rolling over, which prevents their face from becoming blocked by a mattress or other sleep surface. It is also recommended because it keeps a baby from choking on their own spit up. When a baby is placed on their back, spit up is more likely to go back down their throat into their stomachs than into their windpipe and lungs.
In a crib: Placing a baby in a crib, a bassinette or a pack and play is recommended for each sleep. A firm and flat sleeping surface, such as a crib mattress, helps prevent airway blockages. Keeping a baby’s sleep environment separate from the parent’s bed significantly reduces the risk of SIDS occurring. Sharing a room with your baby, but maintaining an independent sleeping area from them, can give you the same ease of access in the early months of life. Caring for a baby can be exhausting, and certain medications can make a caregiver drowsy. If you feel drowsy while feeding or comforting your baby, place your baby in their designated sleep area before you fall asleep.
In addition to the Safe Sleep ABCs, there are other actions that can decrease a baby’s risk for SIDS, including avoiding smoking during pregnancy and limiting a baby’s exposure to secondhand smoke, breastfeeding when able, and getting their recommended vaccines on time.
Local Resources For Safe Sleep Safe sleep education and resources are available locally at the Rockbridge Area Health Center (RAHC). RAHC provides prenatal care from the first test and postpartum care starting at 2 days old. They provide wrap-around perinatal services, meaning that the health of the mother has just as much care and attention as the baby at each appointment.
Services like these are an essential part of health care, as regular prenatal and postpartum care also decrease the risk of SIDS. Additionally, RAHC provides lactation services for those wishing to learn more about breastfeeding and mental health support for mothers who feel they are struggling.
RAHC is also able to provide free safe sleep education, maternal support groups, perinatal community health workers, and free cribettes for those in need as part of their new Perinatal Health Hub. To learn more about the Perinatal Health Hub, safe sleep education and resources available to support your family, call (540) 464-8700.
For more safe sleep information, call the Lexington-Rockbridge Health Department at (540) 4633185.
