Abstract
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome remains the leading cause of post-neonatal mortality (under the age of one) in developed countries. The causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome have been puzzling and research is being conducted to solve this catastrophic problem. Having a child under the age of one makes me very concerned, along with any other parent(s), that the possibility of SIDS could affect any infant at anytime, SIDS does not discriminate. I am seeking to find the possible causes to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome so in the future deaths could be avoided.
Researchers have studied the many possible causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and four have been selected for this paper.
The first study addressed the effects of an infant’s sleeping position and other prenatal risks associated with Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The SIDS victims were matched with four control groups of the same gender, age and place of birth.
The second study researched the possible correlation between the brain weights of SIDS victims at death to those infants that died of other causes, only when the brain had not been damaged. The study took place between the years of 1980 and 2003 within the same local population.
In the third study medical and demographic characteristics where analyzed among infants that were 24 to 32 week’s gestation weighing 500 to 2500 grams of SIDS victims and non SIDS victims. The researchers attempted to find a correlation between the two groups of preterm infants.
The fourth study was conducted to investigate a possible correlation between the postnatal growths preceding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In this particular study the victims of SIDS were matched with two controls of the same age. The research was collected by parental interview review of medical records and body weights.
Finally, I will review the findings, compare the four studies and illustrate my conclusions and provide my personal synthesis. I hope to gain knowledge and insight into the possible causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
First Study Summary
SIDS and Sleeping Position and Prenatal Care
Oyen, N., Markestad, T., Skaerven, R., Irgens, L.M., Helweh-Larsen, K., Alm, B., Norvenius, G., Wennergren, G. (1998). Combined Effects of Sleeping Position and Prenatal Risk Factors in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Nordic Epidemiological SI...
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... SIDS. Through the research provided, I concluded that when a baby is born preterm their brain, along with many other internal organs, is not as fully developed as that of an infant that had reached full gestation. I believe that these studies concerning SIDS address only a small portion of the larger problem and that there needs to be more research done to narrow down the causes.
References
Brooks, J.G., Gilbert, R.E., Flemming, P.J., Berry, P.J., Golding, J. (1996). Postnatal Growth Preceding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Journal of Chiropractic Technique, 94, 456-459.
Kadhim, Hazim., (2005). Incongruent Cerebral Growth in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Journal of Child Neurology, 20, 244-246.
Malloy, Michael H. (2004). Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among Extremely Preterm Infants: United States 1997 – 1999. Journal of Perinatology, 24, 181-187.
Oyen, N., Markestad, T., Skaerven, R., Irgens, L.M., Helweh-Larsen, K., Alm, B., Norvenius, G., Wennergren, G. (1998). Combined Effects of Sleeping Position and Prenatal Risk Factors in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: The Nordic Epidemiological SIDS Study. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, 21, 614-621.
Uebel, P. (1999). A case study of antenatal distress and consequent neonatal respiratory distress. Neonatal Network. 18 (5). 67-70
Sudden infant death syndrome ( SIDS) is the greatest cause of infant deaths ranging from ages one month to one year. Most of these deaths occur before the age of six months. Normally, any unexplainable infant death is considered to be due to SIDS. Numerous attempts have been made to discover the exact cause of this syndrome. However,the only known pathology is that SIDS is due to a dysfunction or abnormality in the cardiac and/or respiratory systems. To this point, an exact and definite cause has not been named. This paper will attempt to present several of the proposed and hypothesized causes of SIDS.
In 1969, researchers agreed to define SIDS as “the sudden death of an infant or young child, which is unexpected by history, and in which a thorough postmortem examination fails to demonstrate an adequate cause of death” (Bergman, 1970).
Smoking during pregnancy passes nicotine and causes problems with their respiratory system to your baby. Smoke also keeps your baby from getting nourishment and raises the risk of stillbirth or premature birth. Most people know that smoking causes cancer and other major health problems. And smoking while you’re pregnant can cause serious problems, too. Your baby could be born too early, have a birth defect, or die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Even being around cigarette smoke can cause health problems for you and your baby. So, what is SIDS, Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or "crib death" is an abrupt and inexplicable death of an apparently healthy infant. Most of the cases involve infants from ages 1-12 months, and the event occurs during the night. Various theories have been postulated from research results but without consistency of the etiology. Since the death is sudden, prior diagnostic criteria or patterns are not available for correlation, although some near-miss infants have been followed. A number of possibilities have been documented in current literature, to include beta-endorphin changes, abnormal temperature regulation, pineal abnormalities, carotid body irregularities, lead poisoning, elevated fetal hemoglobin, brainstem immaturity, and cerebral hypoperfusion. The following is an overview of these pathologies in their relation to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
In conclusion, the specifics of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are not very well known. Even today, research is still being carried out to determine the exact cause of this silent disease. Until that time comes, the public must rely on preventative tips in order to reduce the frequency of this disease infiltrating more families.
Throughout the world, for centuries, parents and infants have engage in many different sleeping arrangements. In the Western World solitary sleeping is strongly encouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Solitary sleeping, or sleeping in separate rooms and separate beds, is said to promote the infants independence and reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The AAP has even issued multiple warnings on the dangers of shared sleeping arrangements, citing concerns regarding the safety, wellbeing, and the independence of the child. While the health and safety of an infant is the top priority for all the Western idea of solitary sleeping does not consider the different cultural beliefs of others. Therefore, despite
Petraglia, F., Strauss, J.F. (III), Gabbe, S.G.,& Weiss, G. (2007). Preterm birth: mechanisms, mediators, prediction, prevention and interventions. United Kingdom: London.
Premature birth is when an infant is born 37 weeks before appointed due date. Premature babies are not completely developed and not ready for the outside world. Cases of premature birth can either be slight and not noticeable or completely severe. My brother was born two months premature and had to stay in the hospital for a month attached to machines and IVs. My mother was not able to take her first child home and have a complete certainty that her newborn baby will even be alive. I chose this topic because I am very fortunate for having a strong and healthy eighteen year old brother, even though he was premature. I have gained a strong curiosity towards the effect of prematurity; how some are greatly affected and why some women go into labor premature. I want this research to let me know that I’m not taking my brother for granted. Due to my brother being premature, he is quite shorter compared to most people. My brother and I also have the same birthday. This allows us to pretend we are twins. His effect of being premature is not noticeable because he did not obtain a severe condition. With this research paper, I hope to gain knowledge and acknowledgment towards the people affected due to premature birth.
Reddy, U. M., Zhang, J., Sun, L., Chen, Z., Raju, T. N., & Laughon, K. (2012). Neonatal mortality by attempted route of delivery in early preterm birth. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, 207(2). doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2012.06.023
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the most frequent cause of death between 1 month and 1 year of age (Naeye). SIDS is defined as the sudden death of any infant or young child that is unexpected by it’s history, and in which a thorough postmortem examination fails to determine an adequate cause (Hunt 1987). It is important to consider both aspects of this definition in order not to ‘overdiagnose’ SIDS. A mistake of this nature would occur with failure to report a previous history of seizures, or if at the time of the autopsy a differentiation between suffocation due to rebreathing and SIDS was not made (Kemp 1993). One of the major characteristics of SIDS is that of ‘silent death’, which occurs during a sleep period. The majority of SIDS cases are between 1-6 months, with the peak occurrence being between 2-4 months. Boys are affected more often than girls (Becker, 1990).
Random mutations- genes that control brain development .Maternal infections that affect the developing fetus. Fetal stroke, a disruption of blood supply to the developing brain Lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) related to diffic...
Wisborg, K., Kesmodel, U., Tine, B. H., Sjurdur, F. O., & Secher, N. J. (2000). A prospective study of smoking during pregnancy and SIDS. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 83(3), 203-6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/196895386?accountid=41057
The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome triples if the mother has smoked during pregnancy. “It is estimated that twenty-five percent of expectant mothers in the U.S. smoke throughout their pregnancies. According to a report from the Surgeon General, twenty percent of low birth weight births, either percent of preterm deliveries and five percent of all perinatal could be prevented by eliminating smoking during pregnancy.”
Preterm birth is defined as ‘any neonate whose birth occurs before the thirty seventh week of gestation’1 and represents approximately eight percent of all pregnancies1-4. It is eminent that these preterm infants are at risk of physical and neurological delay, with prolonged hospitalisation and an increased risk of long-term morbidity evident in prior literature3, 5-13. Innovative healthcare over the past thirty years has reduced mortality significantly14, with the survival rate of preterm infants having increased from twenty five percent in 1980 to seventy three percent in 200715. Despite, this drop in mortality long-term morbidity continues to remain within these surviving infants sparking a cause for concern15, 16.