A thief in the night
Cot death, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS),
affects around one family every week in New Zealand. SIDS is the
unexplainable death of an infant, and leaves our community asking
some big questions. Charlotte Wenham explores the mystery that is
SIDS.
"One night during his flu the breathing monitor alarm went
off, it was 2:25am - not his usual wake-up time," says
Tracey, a mother and accountant from Auckland. "When I rushed into
his room, he wasn't stirring, so I picked him up. Upon doing that,
I heard him take a huge gasp of breath while choking through mucus.
He started crying, and I knew he had stopped breathing." This
happened just before Christmas, when Ethan was just a few months
old, Tracey explains.
Tracey's story could be so different. As
women and mothers, we like to talk, to share our experiences, our
hopes and our dreams. But there is a topic that is almost too taboo
to say out loud: Despite 45 babies a year dying in New Zealand from
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), with up to 10 times as many
Maori babies dying from SIDS as babies from other ethnic groups, we
are still reluctant to talk about it. Is this because we fear that
by talking about SIDS, we accept it and invite it into our lives?
Even "Red Nose Day" was "put to bed" a few years ago, despite New
Zealand having one of the highest death rates from SIDS, when
compared to other countries.
According to SIDS New Zealand, SIDS is "the
unexpected death of seemingly healthy babies 12 months or younger".
No cause of death is found. In New Zealand, SIDS accounts for the
deaths of more babies between the ages of one month and one year
than any other known cause. We don't know what SIDS is or what
causes it. Yet in 2005, one family every week in New Zealand was
told that there is no reason why their baby died.
So what do we know? There are a lot of
conflicting opinions as to what causes SIDS, how to reduce it, and
which babies are at the highest risk. Since 1994, when the Safe
Sleeping Recommendations (see below) were introduced, SIDS deaths
have reduced by over 50%. Unfortunately, despite these initial
major reductions, in the last decade we have not seen much of a
drop in the SIDS rate.
The only thing we know for certain is that
at some stage, a healthy, happy baby stops breathing, stops moving,
and silently passes away. This is a fear for many parents, and some
of these same parents live with the horrible reality of this every
day. If these baby's parents were alerted, could they have done
something to prevent their baby dying? Maybe, maybe not. Nobody
knows for certain. But, regardless of whether they could, most
parents would do anything to have the opportunity to try.
There are products on the market that can
help parents to feel peace of mind while their baby sleeps. The
Safe T Sleep Sleepwrap (www.safetsleep.co.nz) is a 100% cotton,
flexible wrap that fits tightly around the cot mattress and helps
parents to follow SIDS preventative recommendations, which
include:
- Putting baby to sleep flat on his back, with no pillows,
while changing baby's head position frequently
- Keep baby off his tummy while sleeping
- Keep baby's face and head clear of blankets and
clothing
- Don't let baby get too hot
One of the big decisions I made as a mother was to use a
movement monitor. There are a lot of choices out there, but
thinking about the lifestyle that my husband and I lead, I decided
that the best option for our family was a portable, wearable
movement monitor. This meant that we could monitor our baby whether
we were at home, at a friend's house for dinner, or if he was
sleeping in a portable crib at his grandparents' home. It is
priceless to me to know that he is monitored wherever he is.
Breathing and movement monitors such as the
Snuza Halo Movement Monitor (www.snuza.co.nz) are an excellent
option to offer parents peace of mind. This monitor in particular
detects your baby's slightest movements and sounds an alarm if all
movement stops for 20 seconds. It's portable and clips onto your
baby's nappy, so it is able to go everywhere your baby goes, which
makes it especially good value when out and about or at home.
A breathing and movement monitor, on its
own, is only rubber, plastic, and other electronic components that
give us information - an inanimate machine. However, with basic
first aid knowledge and access to medical professionals, lives can,
have been, and will continue to be saved with the help of such
devices.
In my experience as a trained emergency
nurse, I have used a lot of different machines and devices to help
save lives. Some of these are simple things, like blood pressure
monitors and blood sugar testers; others are more complex like
heart defibrillators. These machines have helped me to save lives,
yet there have also been times when I have used these same life
saving machines and have been unable to prevent someone dying. Yet
we still use these machines, and often recommend that people out of
hospital use these same machines. Every day we use devices to
protect us from hazards. Smoke detectors alert us of a possible
fire (or just the burnt toast); infant car seats can reduce the
injury to our baby in the event of a car accident. Neither of these
has been proven to prevent death, but they do significantly reduce
the severity of injury.
As parents, we all want what is best for
our children, and to have them grow in a safe, happy and healthy
environment. We do everything we can to protect our children, but
SIDS is frightening, because there is no clear reason for it, so it
is almost impossible to prevent. With around 50 babies dying of
SIDS in New Zealand each year, most parents agree that anything
that can alert us to possible harm is worth investing
in.
What else can parents
do?
The following safe sleep practices are recommended:
- Put baby to sleep on her back, unless your paediatrician
advises differently.
- Place your baby in a safety-approved cot with a firm
mattress and a fitted sheet.
- Never put your baby to sleep on a chair, sofa, water bed,
cushion, or sheepskin.
- The safest place for your baby to sleep is in the room
where you sleep, but not in your bed.
- Place your baby's cot or bassinette near your bed (within
an arm's reach) to make breastfeeding easier and help you watch
over your baby.
- If bumper pads are used, they should be thin, firm, well
secured, and not "pillow-like."
- Blankets, if used, should be tucked in around the cot
mattress. They should not reach any higher than your baby's chest.
Try using tog-rated sleep sacks or sleep clothing instead of a
blanket, to avoid the risk of overheating.
- Keep pillows, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, and stuffed
toys out of your baby's cot. They can cover your infant's face,
even if he is lying on his back.
Other ways to reduce the risk:
- Do not let your baby get too warm during sleep. Use light sleep
clothing. Keep the room at a temperature that feels comfortable for
an adult.
- Do not smoke while pregnant and do not allow smoking
around your baby. Babies have a higher risk of SIDS if they are
exposed to cigarette smoke.
- Dummies may help reduce the risk of SIDS. However, if
your baby doesn't want it or if it falls out of his mouth, don't
force it. If you are breastfeeding, wait until your baby is one
month old before introducing a dummy.
Charlotte Wenham is a trained emergency nurse and mum to two
boys.
As seen in OHbaby!
magazine Issue 7: 2009
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