I hope I am not repeating anything someone else has shared.  I am a bit
behind.  Please note item number 2 under the Parents heading.
****
REDUCING THE RISK

What Can Be Done?
Unfortunately, we cannot expect to prevent all SIDS deaths now. To do so
requires a much greater understanding of SIDS, which will be achieved only
with a commitment from those who value babies and with a considerably
expanded research effort. However, there are things that can be done to
reduce the risk of SIDS. There are things that parents-to-be can do and
there are things that parents can do.

Parents-To-Be
1.Get medical care early in pregnancy, preferably within the first three
months, followed by regular checkups at the doctor's office or health
clinic. Make every effort to assure good nutrition. These measures can
reduce the risk of premature birth, a major risk factor for SIDS.

2.Do not smoke, use cocaine, or use heroin. Tobacco, cocaine, or heroin use
during pregnancy increases the infant's risk for SIDS.

3.Take care to prevent becoming pregnant during the teenage years. If you
are
a teen and already have one infant, take extreme caution not to become
pregnant again. The SIDS rate decreases for babies born to older mothers. It
is highest for babies born to teenage mothers. The more babies a teen mother
has, the greater at risk they are.

4.Wait at least one year between the birth of a child and the next
pregnancy.
The shorter the interval between pregnancies, the higher the SIDS rate.

Parents
1.Avoid exposing the infant to tobacco smoke. Don't have your infant in the
same house or car with someone who is smoking. The greater the exposure to
tobacco smoke, the greater the risk of SIDS

2.Breast-feed babies whenever possible. Breast milk decreases the occurrence
of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Studies show that breast-fed
babies have a lower SIDS rate than formula-fed babies do.

3.Avoid exposing the infant to people with respiratory infections. Avoid
crowds. Carefully clean anything that comes in contact with the baby. Have
people wash their hands before holding or playing with your baby. SIDS often
occurs in association with relatively minor respiratory (mild cold) and
gastrointestinal infections (vomiting and diarrhea).

4.Place infants to sleep on their backs, even though infants may sleep more
soundly on their stomachs. Infants who sleep on their stomachs have a higher
rate of SIDS than infants who sleep on their backs.

5.Place infants to sleep on a firm mattress with no covering or only a sheet
or light blanket used for covering. No stuffed animals or other items should
be placed in the crib. Soft mattresses and heavy covering are associated
with the risk for SIDS.

6.Do not over-clothe the infant while he/she sleeps. Keep the room at a
temperature that is comfortable for you. Overheating an infant may increase
the risk for SIDS.

7.Consider using home monitoring systems (apnea/bradycardia monitors) in an
attempt to prevent sudden death in high-risk infants.
The risk of SIDS in the following groups exceeds that of the general
population by as much and 5 to 10 times.

*Infants born weighing less than 3.5 pounds.
*Infants whose sibling died of SIDS.
*Infants exposed to cocaine, heroin, or methadone during the pregnancy.
*The second or succeeding child born to a teenage mother.
*Infants who have had an apparent life threatening event.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of home monitoring with the baby's
doctor before making your choice. Many communities have specialized programs
for the clinical management of babies at high risk for SIDS. For information
about the availability of such programs in your area, ask your baby's doctor
or contact the American SIDS Institute. (See our clinic page.)


<A HREF="http://www.SIDS.org/">Welcome to the American Sudden Infant Death
Syn.</A>
http://www.SIDS.org/
****
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Monique
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