Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Babies spend a lot of time in a cot, sometimes unsupervised. Therefore, nursery products like cribs, playpens and diaper-changing tables must be selected with safety in mind. This isn’t always straightforward if you have well-meaning aunts and cousins who eagerly push used baby furniture at you. Sometimes, even new nursery equipment can be faulty if not well-designed for a young child’s use.

There is also another important reason for being fussy about nursery safety – SIDS or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Also known as cot death, SIDS is rare. Nevertheless, it is worrying because it strikes suddenly, sometimes overwhelming a baby in seconds. A key risk factor of cot death is poor nursery safety.

Understanding SIDS

SIDS is the sudden, unexpected and often unexplained death of a baby. SIDS needn’t only occur in a crib. Studies show that it also occurs when parents fall asleep with their infants on a sofa.

SIDS is not limited to death by suffocation. Most SIDS deaths are thought to happen when baby experiences abnormalities in breathing or heart rate. Some babies may die from a sudden and overwhelming respiratory infection. Others may die of SIDS due to abnormalities in metabolism (a condition referred to as an inborn error of metabolism). Sometimes, the reasons are so vague that even an autopsy cannot confirm the cause of death.

According to the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), over 75% of SIDS deaths occur in the zero to six months age group.

Symptoms and prevention of SIDS

SIDS can occur very suddenly and without warning. However, experts say some babies demonstrate symptoms like a cold with a stuffy nose a few days prior to death, as well as unexplained weight loss.

There are several steps you can take to prevent SIDS, beginning with sleep-time safety. It may be a good idea to keep a copy of the following SIDS prevention tips in your baby’s nursery or by her cot to help you remember.

SIDS is no doubt a devastating experience, and parents are often overwhelmed by feelings of intense guilt, blaming themselves for their baby’s death. Anger and depression are other common aftermaths of SIDS. Grief from SIDS can also affect the relationship between mother and father, or other family members. Parents who have lost one child to SIDS may furthermore, lose confidence in their ability to take care of other children.

It is essential to seek support and counseling – and stop blaming yourself – if your child is a victim of SIDS. Meanwhile, there is so much you can do to prevent SIDS and other nursery accidents – from being extra picky about what you put into baby’s cot to running daily safety checks, to discarding or repairing faulty furniture on time. Start now so that your time as a new mom or dad is not filled with niggling doubts about potentially life-threatening nursery hazards.

Below is a handy guide to have with you when choosing, installing and periodically checking on nursery furniture.