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A CBC investigation has found there were unsafe sleep risk factors present in more than 1,300 infant deaths between 2009 and 2019.
For a new parent, losing a child in their sleep is an absolute nightmare. Not knowing why adds to the anguish.
Thousands of parents in the United States experience this feeling each year after losing a child to sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
Thousands of parents in the United States experience losing a child to sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
SIDS is the “sudden unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant under 1 year of age that remains unexplained,” and the mysterious syndrome is the leading cause of infant death in the United States.
Just under four out of every 10,000 infants in the U.S. die without any explanation, according to a May 25 study published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology.
Among experts, there is debate about what could lead to SIDS, ranging from serotonin levels in the blood to sleeping positions and heart rate, according to the National Institutes of Health.
“Despite the initial success of national public health campaigns promoting safe sleep environments and healthier sleep positions in infants in the 1990s in the United States, rates of cases have remained the same over the last three decades,” researchers said in a May 25 news release.
With behavioral changes not slowing the number of infant deaths, researchers started examining a potential physical cause.
One group of researchers wanted to take a closer look at a possible biological trigger for some infants to pass away unexpectedly, so they collected tissue samples from the brain stems of 70 infants who died between 2004 and 2011.
The researchers examined the tissue and tested it for potential abnormalities.
SIDS deaths are typically silent, with no struggle, and occur when the infant is asleep or during a period of arousal from sleep, according to the study.
When the researchers looked at the tissue samples, they found that a serotonin receptor in the brain was altered in cases of SIDS compared to infants that died from known causes.
Previous research into the receptor has shown it can contribute to arousal and autoresuscitation, a way the body makes sure the brain gets oxygen as you sleep, according to the study.
By adding a biological element, the researchers created a model to explain how and why SIDS can happen.
First, the child must be in a “critical period of cardiorespiratory development,” which typically occurs during the first year of life for an infant. Second, there must be an outside stressor, such as sleeping in a certain position, that starts to deprive the child of oxygen. Then, lastly, with a biological abnormality making it difficult for the body to know when it’s not getting oxygen, the receptor doesn’t wake the infant up to breathe, and they pass away in their sleep.
“The work presented builds upon previous work by our laboratory and others showing abnormalities in the serotonergic system of some SIDS infants,” study author Robin Haynes said in the release. “Currently, we have no means to identify infants with biological abnormalities in the serotonergic system. Thus, adherence to safe-sleep practices remains critical.”
Until a test can be developed to test for a brain abnormality, the Mayo Clinic shares a few tips to help prevent SIDS in newborns:
The MESA’s innovative “SMARTSecure System” combines a standard LATCH system with a visual indicator that tells you the seat is properly secured, so you can rest assured your baby’s car seat is locked safely in place. It has impressive side impact protection and an intuitive five-point harness. $299.99, Amazon. Also available at Bed Bath and Beyond.
Thanks to the SensorSafe system, the Evenflo Gold SensorSafe SecureMax Smart Infant Car Seat alerts you if your child has come unbuckled, if the temperature’s unsafe, if your child has been seated for too long, or if your child is left unattended.
The SafeZone Load Leg technology keeps your baby safer in the event of a frontal collision. The structural integrity is roughly two times the federal standard.
$219.99, Amazon
This Britax car seat has a range of great safety features and is designed to prevent overheating.
We love that it has an impact-absorbing base and an impact-stabilizing steel frame. Plus, it exceeds federal safety standards.
$249.99, Kohl’s. Also available at Amazon.
This car seat is a solid choice for those on a tight budget. It has a secure LATCH system and excellent side impact head protection from EPS energy-absorbing foam.
$119.99, Amazon
You can safety fit this car seat with or without a base when you need to.
The five-point harness keeps baby secure, and the fact you can remove the seat covers without unthreading the harness means you don’t risk rethreading it incorrectly.
$199.99, Amazon. Also available at Best Buy.
This design features built-in wheels that flip down to transform it into a stroller. It has impressive side impact protection and is tested to ensure it meets the strictest safety standards.
$499.99, Bed Bath and Beyond. Also available at Amazon.
Clek’s Rigid LATCH system keeps baby snug and secure.
The Load Leg reduces rotations and absorbs shock in a collision, reducing the force of a crash by roughly 40%.
$349.99, Amazon
With two layers of side impact protection, a shock-absorbing base and a steel anti-rebound bar to reduce rotation in a collision, your baby will be well protected.
It’s easy to fit, while the recline and level indicators help you install it correctly. $299.99, Kohl’s
We love this infant car seat for its LockSure steel-reinforced seat belt locking system, its anti-rebound bar for additional stability, and extendable headrest to keep babies safe as they grow.
$249.99, Kohl’s. Also available at Amazon and Bed Bath and Beyond.
Offering cocoon-like protection with the brand’s signature style, this car seat contains EPS energy absorbing memory foam to manage impact energy in a collision and has solid side impact protection. It fits almost any Bugaboo stroller, too.
$349.99, Bed Bath and Beyond. Also available at Amazon.
This car seat is easy to install with the SnugLock LATCH system. The SafetyCore Energy Absorption Zone helps absorb all collision energy in the event of a crash to keep your baby safe.
$249.99, Amazon. Also available at Kohl’s.
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A CBC investigation has found there were unsafe sleep risk factors present in more than 1,300 infant deaths between 2009 and 2019.
Thousands of parents in the United States experience losing a child to sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
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