Sudden infant death syndrome

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of a baby aged from a few days to a year without apparent cause. Statistics show that SIDS most often affects boys (approximately 60%), and the maximum number of deaths occurs in the third to sixth month of life. Most children die at night or early in the morning. In winter and spring, when viral infections are common, cases of SIDS are recorded more often.

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Epidemiology

According to statistics, the incidence of sudden infant death syndrome varies between 0.2 and 1.5 cases per 1,000 infants. It is noteworthy that following an information campaign that explained how to reduce the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome, the numbers in Sweden and the UK dropped very significantly: by 33% and 70%, respectively.

The World Health Organization has data that sudden infant death syndrome is one of the three most common causes of infant death and is on par with congenital pathologies and intrauterine developmental disorders. In different countries it accounts for up to 30% of infant mortality statistics.

Our country does not have reliable statistics on sudden infant death syndrome; low awareness among doctors leads to the case being classified as a consequence of complications of acute respiratory viral infections or other common diseases.

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Causes sudden infant death syndrome

When asked why this happens, doctors cannot give a clear answer, but they tend to believe that the syndrome occurs due to changes in respiratory function and heart rhythm disturbances. During sleep, the cough reflex is weakened, and the baby is unable to reject an object or fiber that accidentally ends up in the respiratory tract, since the muscle tone involved in the breathing process is weakened.

There is evidence that sudden infant death syndrome may be a consequence of congenital pathologies of the brain stem. This is the conclusion reached by scientists from Boston. They insist that sudden infant death syndrome is in no way related to sleep conditions. Often, a fatal outcome occurs due to a healthy child stopping breathing during sleep. Before this, nothing indicated a possible tragedy and an autopsy cannot indicate the exact cause of death.

Texas researchers have suggested that sudden infant death syndrome is a congenital absence of a specific gene that controls brain signals that alter breathing when carbon dioxide builds up. It turns out that the baby's reflexes are weakened and he does not wake up if the normal concentration of carbon dioxide in the air is exceeded. This happens if the ventilation in the bedroom is poor and the baby overheats. Doctors consider these conditions that accompany death, but they do not lead to tragedy in themselves.

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Risk factors

Statistics indicate the presence of risk factors: overheating and insufficient ventilation of the room, smoking in the room where the baby is, too tight swaddling, positioning on the stomach during sleep, excessively soft pillow or mattress.

The risk of the syndrome is also higher if the baby was born prematurely or with low birth weight, the mother is very young (under 17 years old), there was pathological or prolonged labor, miscarriages and abortions, or multiple births.

Researchers suggest that the cause of sudden infant death syndrome is the immaturity of the neurohumoral system. Babies often have apneas, when breathing is held for a while; but if apneas occur more than once an hour, lasting more than 10-15 seconds, you should contact your pediatrician as soon as possible.

There is a theory that children who are under constant psycho-emotional stress are more susceptible to the syndrome.

Another suggestion is that the syndrome is a consequence of a heart disorder: various arrhythmias, including short-term cardiac arrest, which are sometimes detected in a completely healthy child. In such cases, you should immediately contact a pediatrician.

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Symptoms sudden infant death syndrome

Death due to sudden infant death syndrome can last from 1 to 30 minutes - the symptoms of sudden infant death syndrome develop almost instantly, but you need to be aware of them so that this process does not go unnoticed. Of great importance in the pathogenesis of sudden infant death syndrome is the delay or weakening of breathing. This symptom may be accompanied by general weakness, cyanosis of the skin, decreased muscle tone. All mothers and fathers should be aware of these symptoms: this will help prevent a fatal outcome.

Diagnostics sudden infant death syndrome

If the worst does happen, the diagnosis of sudden infant death syndrome is made only after a meticulous study of the circumstances of the incident and all sorts of tests. During the study, all possible pathologies are gradually excluded. The lifetime assessment is analyzed: electrocardiogram indicators, X-ray studies, echoencephalogram data, acidity indicators in the esophagus. Postmortem studies are also carried out, which exclude other causes of death (for example, an analysis of electrolytes in the blood to exclude dehydration).

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Differential diagnosis

The task of differential diagnosis is to exclude forced asphyxia, acute adrenal insufficiency, impaired fatty acid metabolism and botulism.

When neither the autopsy results nor a thorough analysis of the child's developmental history find any basis for the child's unexpected death, a diagnosis of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is made.

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Treatment sudden infant death syndrome

Treatment for this disease has not been developed and all work to reduce the risks of the syndrome is aimed at improving preventive measures.

What if a child becomes ill?

If signs of respiratory or cardiac dysfunction occur in a child, before the arrival of doctors, it is necessary to take measures on your own to try to restore breathing and cardiac function. What should be done? To reduce the risk of developing sudden infant death syndrome, massage should be done:

• Move your fingers along the spine quite quickly from the lower back to the neck;
• take the child in your arms and shake him gently, as if trying to wake him up;
• massage your feet, hands and earlobes.

These simple techniques can restore the functioning of the organs and return the child to consciousness. If suddenly these actions are ineffective, then it is necessary to take more radical measures - proceed to massage the heart and chest.

In a critical situation, do not let panic take hold of you: it may prevent you from taking control of the situation. And remember that the baby's body is very small and fragile: do not apply excessive force.

If it was possible to do without resuscitation, then the prognosis is quite favorable. On the contrary, if there was a need to do artificial respiration, this indicates the seriousness of the case. The detection of impaired breathing or decreased muscle tone during examination of the baby indicates the almost occurring sudden infant death syndrome.

Prevention

1. Put your baby to sleep on his back. This is the only recommendation that does not cause controversy in the medical community. Because the syndrome almost always develops in babies who slept on their stomachs.
2. Avoid overheating. The baby should sleep in a cool and well-ventilated room, at a temperature of no more than 25 degrees, and better - 18-20 degrees. Put the baby to bed in light clothing and cover with a light blanket.
3. Avoid passive smoking. If someone in your household has this bad habit, to reduce the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome, do not smoke in the apartment.
4. Remove soft objects from the crib, including the pillow. This will help avoid possible suffocation. Soft sides are also unnecessary: in addition to collecting dust, they impair air circulation in the crib.
5. Many experts agree that co-sleeping helps control the baby's condition.
6. Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding helps strengthen the immune system.

Moms shouldn't be afraid of sudden infant death syndrome. But they can do the best they can during pregnancy and child care: lead a healthy lifestyle and don't leave the baby alone in the room for long periods of time.

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