We’ll talk about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). For years, the cause of SIDS was unknown. Now, researchers reveal one possible way to identify children most at risk.
As a parent, you have probably heard horror stories of families who lost their babies in their sleep, a cause of death referred to as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Shortening is a parent’s worst nightmare and has led many families to search for tools to help them prevent it. But new research reveals that the cause may be outside our control — at least for now. According to a May 2022 study, a biochemical marker may be the key to unlocking the mysterious cause behind SIDS.
“[The researchers] found that butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity was significantly lower in infants who died of SIDS compared to live infants and infant deaths other than SIDS,” explains an article on BioSpace, the life sciences news digital hub. “BChE plays a key role in the brain’s excitability pathway, and explains the cause of SIDS.”
Of course, this is groundbreaking news – but the study has its limitations and the results are still just one piece of the puzzle. For years, parents of those who died of SIDS have been searching for answers, wondering if they might have done something wrong. While parents should continue to take precautions, such as placing babies on their backs when they sleep and keeping toys and blankets away from their beds, this research can help identify children at risk of SIDS and help prevent it.
What is sudden infant death syndrome?
The American Academy of Pediatrics defines sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) as the death of an infant that cannot be explained after a thorough investigation of the case, including an investigation of the accident scene, an autopsy, and a review of the clinical history. Because of the sudden and unexplained nature of SIDS, it is a common concern and concern for parents.
How many children die from SIDS each year?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 3,400 sudden unexpected infant deaths occur annually in the United States. Some of these deaths are due to SIDS. Some are due to accidental suffocation and shortness of breath, and unknown causes cause others.
What are the symptoms of sudden infant death syndrome?
“Unfortunately, there are no previous symptoms of SIDS,” says William Mudd, MD, a Cleveland Clinic Children’s pediatrician. However, “the majority of babies will be less than six months old and will find they’re unresponsive, cold, or with dark gray and blue changes after they fall asleep,” says Melissa Manrique, MD, a pediatrician at Lurie Children’sChildren’s Hospital in Northwestern Medical Central DuPage Hospital.
According to one study, sweating may also be a symptom of SIDS in the days and weeks leading up to an infant’s death.
What causes SIDS?
While researchers have long believed that brain defects, biological factors, and environmental components played a role in SIDS, the cause has hinted at many. However, new research released in May 2022 can help pinpoint one possible cause of SIDS.
“Children have a very powerful mechanism for letting us know when they are not happy,” lead researcher Dr. Carmel Harrington told the Sydney Children’sChildren’s Hospital Network. “Normally, if a child is facing a life-threatening situation, such as difficulty breathing while sleeping because they are on their stomach, they will wake up and cry out. This research shows that some children do not have the same strong arousal response.” This inability reduces the infant’s ability to wake up, causing SIDS.
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How can SIDS be prevented?
Although there is currently no known cause for SIDS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that parents and caregivers take the following steps to help reduce their children’s risk of SIDS:
- Always put your baby on his back to sleep on a flat surface covered with a fitted sheet.
- Avoid placing blankets, pillows, bumpers, or toys in your baby’s crib or crib.
- Keep your baby’s cot or crib in the same room as you sleep until he’s at least six months old (ideally, until she’s one year old)
- Do not cover your baby’s head or allow him to get too hot while sleeping (you can check for sweat or feel his chest)
Taking things one step further, on May 16, President Joe Biden signed a new law — the “Baby Safe Sleep Act of 2021” — that bans manufacturing and selling crib bumpers or sleepers for infants.
And now, based on the new study’s findings, SIDS could one day become a thing of the past. There may be a way to prevent SIDS – in other words; there could be a cure.
Dr. Harrington added: “Now that we know BChE is involved, we can start to change the outcome for these children and make SIDS a thing of the past.” “This finding represents the potential to identify infants at risk for SIDS before death and opens new avenues for future research into specific interventions.”