!7# Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Infant Pillow Use

!±8± Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and Infant Pillow Use

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), as the name indicates, is the sudden and mysterious death of infants below one year of age. It is also sometimes referred to as the "crib death" because it usually occurs in sleep. Studies have attributed some SIDS deaths to the use of some soft bedding, pillows inclusive, for babies. Soft bedding is capable of blocking infants' airways by covering their mouths and noses. In the United States, SIDS claims the lives of approximately 2,500 infants every year, and it is a major condition responsible for the deaths of infants under one year old.

In one of those SIDS studies carried out, based on 206 SIDS cases, it was proven that a sizeable portion of SIDS deaths were caused by soft bedding. Of the 206 cases investigated, approximately 30 percent of the infants had their mouths and noses covered with soft bedding.

In the said study, most of the infants were laid down to sleep on their stomachs; they were discovered lying on top of soft bedding, like pillows, that had been added for comfort with their faces down in them. The softness is capable of forming pockets at the base of their heads, and this demonstrates that the use of pillows for infants is not safe. Some of the infants studied (about 4 percent) had changed their sleep positions to lying on their stomach from previously lying on their sides and backs; this, thus, had their airways covered.

To prevent SIDS in your home, ensure you use a firm mattress for your baby's crib. Also, make sure that the crib rails and the mattress do not have a space between each other, so that the baby does not get caught in-between. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends lying infants on their backs as some studies have proven that SIDS risk can be approximately halved by lying babies down on their back to sleep. Fluffy materials like sheepskins, comforters or pillows must not be placed under infants to sleep on.

Doctors need to be consulted before you can start using pillows for your babies, but one thing that is certain is that pillows must not be used for sleeping babies under one year old.