Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) - risks

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexpected death of a baby where there is no apparent cause of death. The current rate in Australia is around one in every 3,000 births, or 88 babies each year. This compares to about 500 babies lost to SIDS in 1990. The dramatic drop in the number of SIDS cases is due to changes made in some childcare practices.

Following recommended practices can dramatically reduce the risk of SIDS. However, making the suggested changes can only reduce the risk. A baby can still die from SIDS even if recommendations are followed.

Put your baby to sleep on their back
The risk of SIDS is increased if your baby sleeps on their stomach. It is important to put your baby to sleep on their back instead. Over time, this may slightly flatten the back of your baby’s skull, but any ‘positional moulding’ usually improves by itself without any medical intervention before the child’s first birthday.

Make sure your baby’s head won’t get covered during sleep
In some SIDS cases, the babies are found with bedding over their faces. Some suggestions to prevent this include:

• Don’t put your baby on a water bed or bean bag.
• Don’t use soft bedding like quilts, doonas, duvets or pillows.
• Use a firm, well-fitting mattress.
• Don’t use cot bumpers.
• Keep soft toys out of the cot.
• Position your baby’s feet at the bottom of the cot.
• Tuck in the bedclothes securely.

• Temperature – make sure your baby doesn’t overheat or get too cold. A good rule of thumb is to dress your baby as you would dress yourself, to be comfortably warm. If your baby has a fever, use fewer bed coverings or none at all.
• Bedsharing – there is an increased risk of SIDS if a mother who is a smoker shares her bed with her baby. Even if you don’t smoke, bedsharing can still be unsafe if your baby is less than four months of age, slips under the bedding or into pillows, is trapped between the bed and the parent or the wall, falls out of bed, overheats or is rolled on. Don’t bedshare if you have been drinking alcohol or are affected by other drugs. There is a very high risk of infant death and sleeping accidents when a baby shares a sofa or couch with an adult during sleep.

• Immunisations – the highest incidence of SIDS happens between the ages of two and four months, which is coincidentally the same age that babies are often immunised. There is no link. In fact, there is some evidence that immunised babies are actually at a lower risk of SIDS than non-immunised babies.
• Specific baby care products – there is no convincing scientific research evidence that any specific baby care product reduces the risk of SIDS. This includes positional aids for babies such as anti-roll devices and items that fasten a baby in position.

• Your doctor
• SIDS and Kids Victoria Tel. (03) 9822 9611 or 1300 308 307
• Your midwife
• Maternal and Child Health nurse

• Always put your baby to sleep on their back.
• Make sure your baby’s head remains uncovered during sleep.
• Avoid exposing infants to tobacco smoke before birth and after.
• Provide a safe sleeping environment.

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