Here is this weeks assignment on "SIDS"

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDs) is a very touchy subject for my family.  On December 6, 2003, my first nephew was born.  He was such a happy and cheerful baby.  He loved to laugh and smile whenever he saw a new face.  The whole family had grown to adore him, and everyone had a special bond with him.  There was a special little face that he would make whenever something did not go quite his way.  He would poke out his bottom lip and just pout.  We all thought that was adorable, and would sometimes just make him upset just to see “the look.”  On March 5, 2004, my little bundle of joy was feed, changed and put to bed as usual.  The next morning when my sister in law went to wake him up she noticed that his lips were blue, and he was not moving.  My brother jumped into his car without hesitation and rushed to the hospital.  He said the police was right behind him with the sirens on, but he did not stop.  When they got to the hospital the police saw what was happening and told my brother to just go into the hospital.  Once everyone arrived the doctor came out and informed us that everything was going to be alright, and there was a ninety percent chance that he would make it.  We were all at ease.  Ten minutes later, the doctor that told us that returned with another doctor.  He told us that the doctor was new and got the message mixed up, and they were so sorry.  Our baby would not live long and invited us back to say our good byes.  That was the hardest day ever for me, until ten years later when I would have to say goodbye to my own child.

SIDS normally occurs to a child who is under one years of age.  It has accounted for nearly forty percent of the deaths in the US in 1995.  SIDS is more common to occur in the colder months.  In Northern Hemisphere the January rate is double the July rate.  The two most intriguing factors about SIDS are that: it occurs during an infant’s sleep, and it is most common from two to four months of age.  For unknown reasons, SIDS is higher in males than females at a ratio of 1:5.  Unfortunately, some babies are at a higher risk factor than others.  These are babies that have the following characteristics: premature, infants whose mother smoked or took illegal drugs, infants who sleep on their stomachs, infants who were not breastfeed, infants whose mother had little or no prenatal care, siblings of a previous SIDS baby (Sears 13-16). 

Finally, there is a clue, but not a cure to help reduce the number of SIDS.  The book entitled “SIDS a Parent’s Guide to Understanding and Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome” by William Sears, M.D. has provided some helpful tips:  When your baby is ready for sleep, place them on their back or their side.  Do not smoke or use any illegal drugs around your baby prenatal or postnatal.  Don’t overwrap your baby or overlap your baby’s sleeping environment.  Actually, with the latest research there should be nothing in the crib with your baby besides a blanket and it has to be folded all the way down and tucked under the mattress.  Seek medical attention early if your baby is not feeling well, and be aware that your baby may need less bedding and clothing when they are sick.  These are not guaranteed to prevent SIDS, but they are helpful tips that will help in some way (Sears 28). 

Reference

Sears, William. (1995). SIDS a Parent’s Guide to Understanding and Preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Little Brown and Company: New York.