Parents may be able to sleep a little more soundly given the latest news regarding SIDS, a devastating syndrome which can kill babies.
Cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome have been decreasing, says Dr. Denis Leduc, associate Professor of Pediatrics at McGill University Health Centre.
While it is still the leading cause of death between one month and 12 months (in 2005, statistics showed that three babies each week died in Canada from SIDS), Leduc says that there's been a 50% reduction in SIDS since 1999.
"This reduction is largely attributed to the Back to Sleep campaigns," he says. "But it was also influenced by a stricter adherence to the definition of SIDS."
SIDS has become demystified over the years, says Leduc.
While causes of SIDS are multi-factorial, Leduc says that the most vulnerable time for babies is between eight and 16 weeks. It's during this time when the baby has significant risk factors including a vulnerable immune system, a lack of gross motor skills as well as an underdeveloped arousal network. Environmental factors can include a smoking environment, bed sharing, and sleeping on his or her side or tummy.
"Almost all parents know that babies should be on their back," says Guenther Krueger, a research associate at Vancouver Children's Hospital and an advisor to the Canadian Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. The challenge is to get the message out to grandparents and babysitters, he says.
