Pacifiers may reduce babies' risk of SIDS

May 10, 1999
Web posted at: 2:45 p.m. EDT (1845 GMT)

From Medical Correspondent Rhonda Rowland

(CNN) -- Pacifiers, often discouraged for babies, may substantially
reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, mounting research
suggests.

Researchers evaluated seven studies that included a total of 800
infants.

"It's not really clear that pacifier use prevents SIDS; it is clear
that babies that use pacifiers as a group have a lower risk of SIDS,"
said Dr. John Brooks of Dartmouth Medical School Children's Hospital.

SIDS is the leading cause of death among infants between 1 month and 1
year of age. It is a disorder in which an infant death remains
unexplained after all known causes have been ruled out. It usually
occurs during sleep.

Doctors are not sure how, or why, pacifiers might lower the risk of
SIDS.

"It may keep the airway open, it may make them less likely to lay face
down in bed, it may strengthen the muscles of the upper airway,"
Brooks said.

It has also been suggested that sucking may enhance brain development.


Still, pediatricians and the SIDS Alliance are not ready to recommend
routine pacifier use for all babies. Pacifiers increase the incidence
of ear infections, they may cause dental problems, and they can reduce
the duration of breast-feeding.

"I think the thing I'm ready to change is to back off a bit on
discouraging pacifiers, and I think the public should know about this
association," Brooks said.

It could take years for researchers to prove that pacifiers can help
prevent SIDS. But there is a basic precaution all parents can take.

"Researchers do know for sure it's possible to reduce the risk of SIDS
by placing babies to sleep on their backs, rather than sides or
stomachs," Brooks said. "It's advised parents tell anyone caring for
their child to follow this precaution."

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