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Sudden death syndrome is when the apparently healthy baby dies unexpectedly and inexplicably during sleep, before the first year of age.
Although it is unclear what causes the baby's unexplained death, there are factors that can increase the risk of it happening, so it is important to take steps to protect the baby from sudden death syndrome, such as lying him on his back. in the cradle, for example.
Because it happens
Although its cause is not fully understood, some possibilities indicate that sudden death may be related to the mechanism that controls breathing during sleep, by a part of the brain that is still immature, which develops throughout the first year of life, period during which there is a greater risk of suffering from this syndrome.
Other causes may be low birth weight and respiratory infections, which can make breathing difficult.
In addition, sudden death syndrome may also be related to some risk factors such as:
- Baby sleeping on his stomach;
- Parents being smokers and having exposed the baby to cigarettes when it was still in the belly;
- Mother's age below 20 years;
- Baby sleeping in parent's bed.
Sudden death is more common during the winter, especially in the coldest regions of Brazil, such as Rio Grande do Sul, where the highest numbers of cases were recorded, but it can also happen in the summer in the hottest places.
It is also believed that the greatest risk of suffering from this syndrome is when the baby has very warm clothes and blankets, which lead to overheating of the body, leaving the baby more comfortable and with a tendency to wake up less often. In addition, in the face of high temperatures, the baby often has short stops in breathing, a situation called infant apnea.
Learn more about latent apnea, also known as ALTE.
How to prevent sudden baby death
The only way to prevent the sudden death of the baby is to avoid the risk factors mentioned above and take care of the baby, making your crib a safe place to rest. Some strategies that can help are:
- Always put the baby to sleep on his back, and if he turns over while sleeping, turn him over on his back;
- Putting the baby to sleep with a pacifier, which increases the functioning of the parasympathetic system, causing him to wake up more often even if he is not fully awake;
- Avoid placing heavy blankets or blankets that could cover the baby if he moves during sleep, it is more advisable to dress the baby with sleeve pajamas and long pants with warm fabric and use only a thin sheet to cover him. If it is too cold, the baby should be covered with a polar blanket, avoiding covering the head, placing the sides of the blanket under the mattress;
- Always put the baby to sleep in his crib. Although the crib can be placed in the parents' room, this practice is not recommended if one parent is a smoker;
- Do not put the baby to sleep in the same bed as the parents, especially after consuming alcoholic beverages, taking sleeping pills or using illicit drugs;
- Feed the baby with breast milk;
- Position the baby with the feet against the bottom edge of the crib, to prevent it from sliding and being under the covers.
Sudden death syndrome is not fully understood and more research must be conducted to understand its causes.
How many months can the baby sleep on his stomach
The baby can only sleep on his stomach after 1 year of age, which is when there is no risk of sudden death syndrome. Until then, the baby should only sleep on his back, because this position is the safest and, as the baby's head will be on his side, he is not at risk of choking.