It has been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that infants be placed to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), also known as crib death. SIDS is defined as the sudden and unexplained death of a baby less than 1 year of age. There are some things that you can do to make your baby safer according to the AAP:
- The baby should always be placed on his or her back to sleep, even for naps. This is the safest sleep position to reduce the risk of SIDS for a healthy baby. You can place your baby on a firm mattress, for example – in a safety-approved crib. It has been shown through research that placing a baby to sleep on soft mattresses, sofas, sofa cushions, waterbeds, sheepskins, or other soft surfaces raises the risk of SIDS.
- It is advisable to remove soft, fluffy, and loose bedding and stuffed toys from your baby’s sleep area. You should make sure to keep all pillows, quilts, stuffed toys, and other soft items away from the baby’s sleep area.
- Everyone who cares for your baby should know to place your baby on his or her back to sleep and about the dangers of soft bedding. You can make sure of this by talking to child care providers, grandparents, babysitters, and all caregivers about SIDS risk. Every sleep time counts.
- Your baby’s face and head should stay uncovered during sleep. Blankets and other coverings should be kept away from your baby’s mouth and nose. Dressing the baby in sleep clothing is the best way so no other covering can be used over the baby. If any other covering is used, one can make sure that the baby’s feet are at the bottom of the crib, the blanket is no higher than the baby’s chest, and the blanket is tucked in around the bottom of the crib mattress.
- Smoking must not be tolerated around your baby. Remember not to smoke before or after the birth of your baby.
- Make sure your baby does not get too warm during sleep. Your baby’s room should be kept at a temperature that is comfortable for an adult. Too many layers of clothing or blankets will overheat your baby.
Some mothers often worry about the baby rolling over during the night. However, the risk for SIDS is reduced when your baby is able to roll over by herself. Most babies are not able to turn over from their backs to their stomachs, during what is considered the time of greatest risk, 2 to 4 months of age.
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Infants who sleep in the prone position also have increased rates of:
– Social skills delays at 6 months (Dewey, Fleming, et al, 1998)
– Motor skills delays at 6 months (Dewey, Fleming, et al, 1998)
– gastroesophageal reflux (GER) (Corvaglia, 2007)
– Milestone delays (Davis, Moon, et al., 1998)
– Plagiocephaly, Torticollis, Strabismus, etc.
– Slow Wave Sleep Decrease, Overall Sleep Decrease, Increase in Apnea
– Also, Stomach sleep prevents subluxation of the hips
My question is: If a doctor was presented with a baby that had social skills delays, motor skills delays, and gastroesophageal reflux what would a doctor say if a child had these three things but not too bad. The doctor might tell the parent to be patient and that different kids develop differently. But, what if the case was more severe – what if the kids social skills were worse? The doctor might diagnose him with ADHD. But, what if the kids delays were really far behind – that is the kid had very large delays in social skills and motor skills along with GER? The doctor might diagnose him with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I think part (if not all) of the Autism Epidemic is caused by the SIDS Back to Sleep campaign.
8 year olds in the year 2000 (born in 1992) = 10,055 with Autism
8 year old in the year 2007 (born in 1999) = 24, 669 with Autism (146% Increase)
Infants that slept on their backs in 1992 = 13.0%
Infants that slept on their backs in 1999 = 65.7% (405% Increase)
“A lot of us are concerned that the rate (of SIDS) isn’t decreasing significantly, but that a lot of it is just code shifting,’ said John Kattwinkel, chairman of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s special task force on SIDS.”
Scripps Howard News Service Interview
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