Researchers from the Children's National Medical Center's general pediatrics division have found the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) varies according to the child's age.
Lead author of the study and associate chief of Children's National Medical Center's division of general pediatrics and community health in Washington, D.C. Rachel Moon worked with colleagues to analyze information about more than 8,000 sleep-related infant deaths. The data came from 24 states in America, and was recorded between 2004 and 2012.
"This study is the first to show that the risks during sleep may be different for infants of different ages," Dr. Moon told Healthday News.
The researchers' analysis revealed that the risk for SIDS increases if the baby shares a bed with parents. As babies get older, the risk of sudden death increases due to surrounding objects. The team recommended parents or guardians remove pillows or toys near the baby once it is time to sleep. About 70 percent of the deaths occurred while the baby was sharing a bed with other people, and 30 percent was due to the objects that were lying around the baby's crib or bed.
Babies who were four months old and below showed the highest risk for SIDS when they shared the bed. Babies of this age cannot move swiftly to prevent themselves from suffocating.
Older babies, on the other hand, increased their risk for sudden death if they sleep with other objects in their crib.
"The most dangerous objects are the soft, cushiony objects -- pillows, bumper pads, blankets, etc.," Moon added. "They increase risk for SIDS and are also associated with accidental suffocation. We recommend that nothing be in the crib except for the baby."
SIDS remains to be the leading cause of death of babies in the United States claiming an average of 2,000 lives per year.
Further details of this study were published in the July 15 issue of Pediatrics.
