Fresh Air Helps Fight SIDS

news you may not know

Yeah, These Little Things...

Sometimes it the little things that count. That’s certainly the case when a couple has a new baby – what could possibly be better? But, sadly, infants continue to be lost to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) far too often. However, there is a bit of good news out about simple steps to help reduce the incidence of SIDS.

Open a window – turn on a fan.

Two simple steps that have recently been shown to reduce the incidence of SIDS. Researchers with Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research interviewed close to 5,000 mothers about SIDS, some of whom had lost children to SIDS. The researchers found that infants sleeping in a room with a fan had a 72 percent lower risk of death due to SIDS. That’s a huge difference.

They also found that simply opening a window reduced the risk of SIDS by 36 percent.

The team speculates the fresh air prevents the carbon dioxide from pooling around the baby’s mouth and nose. This decreases the possibility the baby will re-breathe the already exhaled air.

The researchers also emphasized the best protection for your baby continues to be placing them on their backs while they sleep. This step alone has brought about a dramatic decrease in the number of SIDS deaths in recent years.

So, place your baby on its back when it sleeps. Use a firm mattress and avoid soft bedding, like comforters. And, turn on a fan – or open a window. Simple things for sure, but…

It really is the little things that count.

To read more about the study, see this from Reuters. To learn more about SIDS and safety, see this from the National Institutes of Health.