What The New SIDS Research Means For Parents
It’s something no parent should have to worry about, yet tragically, each year parents experience their worst nightmare. Sudden infant death syndrome (commonly called SIDS) occurs when a healthy baby under 12 months dies during sleep without explanation.
SIDS is considered rare; around 2,300 babies in the US die of SIDS each year, which is about 0.06% of babies born. Although it’s rare, in the United States it’s actually the most common cause of death for babies under the age of one – and it's most common for babies between 2 to 4 months old.
Sadly, the cause of SIDS is usually unknown. There has been lots of research into explanations including forms of sleep apnea and abnormalities in the brain and there are known risk factors that may increase its likelihood - we’ll talk more about all this later. What we want to mention before we dive in though, is the new SIDS research which was published by an Australian research team in May 2022. It caused a lot of noise in the media; both hopeful and skeptical, with multiple sources reporting that the research team had “found the cause of SIDS” – but that’s not exactly true.
Today, we’re breaking it all down: what the new SIDS research found, if it’s definitive or not, what it means for parents, what we do know about the causes of SIDS, and what you can do to help lower the risk of SIDS. Let’s get into it.
What did the new SIDS research find?
Researchers at the SIDS and Sleep Apnoea Research Group at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Australia analyzed blood samples taken at birth from 600 newborns, 26 died of SIDS. Some of those that died from SIDS were found to have a lower level of Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), an enzyme connected to brain arousal (the ability to wake yourself up). The study’s findings suggested that if a baby’s BChE level is low when they are born, it could indicate an increased risk of SIDS.
Is the new SIDS research definitive?
Whilst the new research into the causes of SIDS is hopeful and indicates an area that could be further researched, the test case was small and the results were varied: some babies who did not have lower levels of BChE died of SIDS, whilst some who had lower levels of BChE didn’t. More studies are needed to determine how accurate BChE level is as a biomarker for SIDS.
As the study itself mentions, there are multiple markers and causes for SIDS, so even if BChE levels are shown to be a biomarker that indicates an increased risk of SIDS, it would not be the only cause of SIDS as was initially reported.
What does the new SIDS research mean for parents today?
As we said, there’s still a way to go until these findings are definitive. So testing for this new biomarker or using it as a way to determine risk for SIDS is still a way off. Right now, parents should focus on the things we do know about SIDS and how the risk can be reduced.
What can parents do to lower the risk of SIDS?
As we mentioned early, what we do know more about is the risk factors that are thought to contribute to SIDS. It’s not clear why, but the biggest risk is placing a newborn down on their stomach or side instead of their back. Studies show that SIDS can be up to 12 times more likely to happen when babies sleep on their stomachs compared to their backs. Around 6 months old, babies may not want to stay on their backs and roll over to a sleep position on their back or side, but this is ok! Once they can roll over by themselves it’s generally okay to let them choose what position is comfortable–but you can talk to your pediatrician if you want to know more.
Although it's unclear why male infants are at a slightly higher risk of SIDS than their female counterparts. Native American and black babies are also 2 times more likely to die from SIDS than others. Some other risk factors to be aware of include:
Low birth weight
Respiratory infections
Premature birth or birth of multiples
Secondhand smoke
Co-sleeping
Mom under the age of 20
Old cribs or ones that contains blankets or toys
Overheating
Not breastfeeding or using a pacifier
Here are 9 things you can do to help prevent SIDS:
1. Put baby on their back
We know we already mentioned this, but it really is one of the most important ways you can help prevent SIDS. Even placing a baby on their side gives them the ability to roll over on their stomach and put their face into the mattress, leaving them with little room to breathe. So every time you lay them down for a nap, make sure you place them securely on their back. You should also try to not let them sleep in a car seat, stroller, or baby seat for long periods of time and instead transfer them to their crib (of course, on their back). You also don’t need to worry too much about baby choking in this position, as long as they're healthy they tend to cough or swallow fluids immediately.
2. Keep them close, but not in your bed
Studies show having baby’s crib in your room actually lowers the risk of SIDS by up to 50% – but that risk goes up when you bring them into your bed, armchair, or couch to sleep. This also means you shouldn’t let them sleep with anyone else like another child or adult because unfortunately, the risk is still there. We also understand mom might be tired while feeding after baby wakes up hungry in the middle of the night. So if you’re worried this will happen, try propping yourself up on something only semi-comfy like a large pillow, and position yourself away from edges in a way that will be safe for your baby if you happen to doze off (no slipping and falling off the couch).
3. Clear the bed and keep it firm
You might think your baby needs the softest mattress and plenty of blankets to stay warm at night, but they really don’t. Instead, they should have a firm mattress with just a fitted sheet–and don’t leave any toys for them inside the crib and remove bumper pads. Anything else can possibly cause smothering or suffocation when baby moves around or kicks their arms and legs during the night. If you want to check the safety of your crib or mattress, you can contact the Consumer Product safety Commission here.
4. Dress light at night
Since you don’t want to put any blankets in the crib at night, you might want to bundle baby up with warm clothes to sleep in - but the risk of overheating may raise the risk of SIDS. Dress baby in light, soft clothes or onesies and keep the room at the same temperature you like (68 to 72 degrees F). You can also use a “sleep sack”, which is essentially a blanket but made for sleeping - don’t use a regular blanket because baby can get tangled and possibly cover their face. Overwrapping and swaddling your baby can lead them to trying to wriggle out during the night to move into a more comfortable position. So even if it seems like they're cozy when you put them down, make sure they aren’t wrapped too tight and their clothes are secure.
5. Breastfeed for as long as you can, if you can
Breastfeeding has major benefits to baby’s health, including reducing the risk of SIDS. In fact, some research has shown two months of breastfeeding can reduce the risk of SIDS by half. Scientists don’t exactly know why, but they believe it might have something to do with breastmilk providing antibody protection to infections. Try to get plenty of skin-to-skin contact while breastfeeding. If you’re not breastfeeding, then you should definitely try spending extra time cuddling baby during the day as that contact with mama is vital for healthy development. Who doesn’t love a little extra cuddling time!
6. Don’t smoke, especially around baby
Babies born to women who smoked during pregnancy are 3 times more likely to suffer from SIDS than babies born to non-smoking mothers. But the risk doesn’t stop there: if you smoke around your baby and they breathe in secondhand smoke, that risk increases. Even if you think they’re far enough away from people, if you can smell it, so can your baby–and that means they might be breathing in harmful pollutants that aren’t good for their health. Don’t let anyone smoke around baby and make it a rule that it doesn’t happen inside the home. And if you’re looking to get help and want to stop smoking, check out these free tools to quit smoking now.
7. Think about a pacifier
Again, researchers don’t know why, but using a pacifier when putting baby to sleep might help reduce the risk of SIDS. Wait until they’re breastfeeding regularly, they should be at least 1 month old, before starting a pacifier as it can lead to nipple confusion and make them want the pacifier more than your breast. If they turn away and don’t want it, don’t force it in their mouths either. They should be awake when you put the pacifier in their mouth, never after they’re already asleep. The FDA recommends against putting honey on pacifiers, and the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC both advise against children less than 1 eating honey.
8. Don’t trust products claiming to reduce SIDS risk
You shouldn’t trust everything you see–any product claiming to reduce the risk of SIDS might not have been tested and proven safe or effective. Cardiac monitors and electronic respirators also technically don’t lower the risk of SIDS. Talk to your pediatrician about safe products for baby.
9. Listen to the professionals
Many will claim there are benefits from doing things we’ve listed above as unsafe, but this comes with its own risks. Medical organizations like the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics base their recommendations off of comprehensive research analyses that study many babies from all over the country. There will always be outliers and people that beat the odds, but we personally don’t believe it’s worth the risk to ignore the precautions. Research shows the things listed above can help keep your baby safe and lower the risk of SIDS, a syndrome we don’t quite understand yet. So it’s best to play it safe, and listen to the research–not your friend that “read something online” or “had no issues” with that.
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