What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? What mistakes do babies often make when sleeping?

The baby's body is very fragile, which requires us to take good care of him. So, what is sudden infant death syndrome?

What is Sudden Infant Death?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the leading cause of death for infants under one year old. It is difficult to understand because it is not a simple disease, but a phenomenon used to describe the sudden death of infants under one year old, and the cause of death cannot be determined after comprehensive medical and legal investigations (including autopsies). Sudden infant death usually occurs suddenly without any signs, bringing great pain and shock to the family.

Sudden infant death is also called "cradle death" because most sudden deaths occur while the baby is sleeping, usually between 10 pm and 10 am.

But SIDS don't just happen at night. If you're sending your baby to daycare, you need to be very careful. According to a 2000 study published in the journal Pediatrics, 20% of SIDS occur in daycare. That number is surprisingly high when you consider that babies get much less sleep in daycare than at home. So make sure the daycare puts your baby on his back to sleep and follows safe sleeping guidelines.

How to prevent sudden infant death

This disease most often occurs in babies under the age of one. There are almost no warning signs and the cause has not yet been identified. Parents should pay attention to the following points:

Sleeping position is important

Studies have shown that babies who sleep on their stomachs have a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome, and the mortality rate is reduced by 50% when they sleep on their backs or sides. One thing to know is that when a baby sleeps on his side or back, his head becomes flat.

Don't pile things on your baby's bed

Parents are advised not to put anything in the crib except the fixed bed sheet and the baby itself. Do not put cushions, toys, flippers, pillows, comfort items, etc. in the crib. In addition, make sure that the baby's mattress is firm and flat.

Other safety tips

Don't smoke around babies, as passive smoking can also cause sudden death.

Don't place your baby on a soft surface, such as a sofa, water bed, adult bed, quilt, etc.

Breastfeed yourself.

Don't overheat your house or room.

If your baby sleeps with you, have him or her sleep close to you, but not too close to reduce the possibility of suffocation.

If you are concerned, discuss the situation with your doctor.

Choose a sleeping position

If your baby cannot sleep on his back, let him sleep on his side and pull his lower arms forward to prevent him from rolling into a prone position.

Common mistakes babies make when sleeping

1. It is not advisable to sleep with a baby in your arms

This is for older children. Some like to sleep with toys, such as dolls. This is a bad habit because dolls are cashmere toys and are easy to stick to bacteria. When the child breathes, these bacteria will enter the child's nasal cavity, causing the child to be invaded by bacteria and cause illness. Another thing is that the doll is too big and may press on the child's face, causing the child to have difficulty breathing or even suffocation. So for safety reasons, mothers should not let children sleep with dolls.

2. Don’t fall asleep with a nipple or pacifier in your mouth

Many children like to sleep with their mother's nipple in their mouths, sucking milk while sleeping, or sleeping with a pacifier in their mouths. This is actually a very bad habit, because falling asleep with their mother's nipple in their mouths will not only disrupt their eating habits, but also cause milk in their mouths when they fall asleep, or their mouths and noses will be blocked by their mother's nipples, causing suffocation. In addition, sleeping with a pacifier or nipple in their mouths will affect the development of the gums, which is not good for oral health.

3. Don’t sleep on your stomach

When children sleep, some like to sleep on their stomachs. In fact, this is not good. First, it will compress the heart and the motor development of internal organs; second, the soft bedding on the bed will make it difficult for children who sleep on their stomachs to breathe, or even suffocate. Therefore, parents should pay attention to adjusting the sleeping posture of their children and not let them sleep on their stomachs.

4. Don’t sing nursery rhymes to lull your child to sleep

Many mothers will sing nursery rhymes to coax their children to sleep, especially when they are infants. This means that infants can only fall asleep when they hear the songs, otherwise they will not fall asleep, which will be detrimental to the formation of normal work and rest habits of children and affect their healthy development.

5. Don’t let your child sleep too long during the day

Many children always sleep during the day, so they can't sleep at night, making trouble for their parents, disrupting their work and rest schedules, and leading to abnormal development. Therefore, parents should pay attention to letting their children sleep less during the day, so that they can sleep well at night and develop normal work and rest habits.

First aid measures for sudden infant death

1. Immediately notify the hospital to send an ambulance and briefly report the patient’s condition.

2. At the same time, tilt the child's head back to keep the trachea straight and unobstructed, and clean the respiratory secretions in the mouth in time.

3. Use mouth-to-mouth breathing to maintain your child's normal breathing.

4. Press the chest wall to perform artificial heart massage to maintain the child's heart's contraction and relaxation movement and ensure the supply of blood and oxygen to tissues throughout the body.

The above emergency measures must be adhered to until the hospital or doctor arrives and takes rescue measures.