Babies and SIDS

[matie-k]

I know there are lots of studies and theories on what causes SIDS. It's so hard to know who to listen to concerning it. So, I'm just wondering if any of you have your own theories on what causes SIDS to happen to babies?

[joyfulpraise93]

My cousin died from SIDS...well, that's what everyone thought, but later it was discovered that his father actually was overcome with jealousy and suffocated his baby. :(

Anyways after this happened and we all believed it was SIDS I started paying more attention to it. I think a lot of times it's when there is something underdeveloped in a baby that doesn't wake them up when they need to breath. Like if they're laying too close to the bumper pad/blanket and they're re-breathing the air they've expelled from their lungs...some babies just don't have whatever it is that tells their body to wake up and move or gasp for air.

That may be one reason for SIDS...although I'm sure there are many more.

[deafnva77]

SIDS is a big mystery.

you'll just have to go by the percentages of what works (as in less babies who slept on their back died of SIDS)

the latest research I hear is this: http://www.physorg.com/news142527893.html

[trc123]

We lost our first grandson 11 years ago to SIDS. Very devastating, wish we knew. The other 4 children our daughter has had are just fine.

This may be something they may never figure out and that only God knows his purposes.

[HappyChristian]

There are many things that could cause it. As has been stated, it is a great mystery. But there are some things that have been shown to be at fault in some cases.

As Angie noted, suffocation sometimes causes it.

The Pertussis part of the DPT vaccine has been linked directly to it in many cases.

New studies have shown that circulating air seems to held avoid it. Like a ceiling fan in the bedroom or something.

[Annie]

I don't think anyone knows what causes SIDS. Certain risk factors have been identified, but none are really that conclusive. I've put most of my infants to sleep on their tummies b/c our home has never contained any other of the identified risk factors (smokers, low birth weight, sleeping on furry surfaces, etc.). IMO, babies sleep so much more comfortably on their tummies.

[deafnva77]

Have any these babies died of SIDS died right in front of the mother's eye?

It seem they die when the mother isn't looking. So that tells me it is from suffocating or breathing the wrong kind of air. because if they died while the mother holding them (asleep or awake) , it would tell me there's something wrong with their body and have nothing to do with suffocating.

[Anon]

Yeah but babies usually do not sleep as deeply in their mother's arms. I think some of them may sleep too deeply and "forget to breathe" or something. Or a defect in their heart that nobody knew about...or something like that. Of course smoking or things taken by the mother during pregnancy could be part of it too.

There were one or two times that I was nursing at night or whatever and the baby fell asleep next to me....and for some reason I would wake up and the baby would be sleeping face up and not suffocated, but it seemed that he was not breathing. One time I remember (can't remember which child) I kind of pushed him and wiggled him and finally just shook him hard enough to wake him up, to make sure he was breathing....the baby would then take a deep breath and fuss a bit and go back to sleep.

I think alot of it could just be the baby gets into too deep of a sleep and his nervous system isn't mature enough to keep breathing.

[deafnva77]

One time I remember (can't remember which child)

offtopic, but my mother with five kids say this all time.. "one of you used to do this...I can't remember who" LOL

[Anon]

offtopic' date=' but my mother with five kids say this all time.. "one of you used to do this...I can't remember who" LOL[/quote']

Yep I know LOL... I get so embarrassed when a dr will ask "what is this child's birthday" or "how old" and I have to sit there for a minute to make sure I get the right date. They must think I'm an idiot! At the surgeon's office this week he wanted to know how old the baby was so I was like "Ummm lets see, he turned one in August..." and the dr was like "Um ok so he's 14 months..." and wrote it down. :ooops

[matie-k]

There's some website I came across a while back that was saying that it's caused by those types of blankets/pj's that are non-flammable or synthetic material - that somehow the chemicals in them react with warmth or baby slobber or something like that, and if there's not enough air circulation, it can cause the air around the blanket/pj to become sorta toxic. This theory would seem to tie in with this new report about fans and air circulation. I've also heard of it being caused by vaccinations and there seem to be some scary stories out there of many babies that died right after being vaccinated. I've known people who had or knew of babies that died from sids, and I always want to ask if the situations fell into either of these two categories, but it's hard to know how to ask such a thing to someone who's probably still grieving, you know?

[HappyChristian]

There's some website I came across a while back that was saying that it's caused by those types of blankets/pj's that are non-flammable or synthetic material - that somehow the chemicals in them react with warmth or baby slobber or something like that' date=' and if there's not enough air circulation, it can cause the air around the blanket/pj to become sorta toxic. This theory would seem to tie in with this new report about fans and air circulation. I've also heard of it being caused by vaccinations and there seem to be some scary stories out there of many babies that died right after being vaccinated. I've known people who had or knew of babies that died from sids, and I always want to ask if the situations fell into either of these two categories, but it's hard to know how to ask such a thing to someone who's probably still grieving, you know?[/quote']

I do know of a baby who died from SIDS due to the vaccine. SIDS is a cover-all, though, for a death that can't truly be explained.

Several years ago, there was a mattress that was recalled because it was linked with SIDS - for the same reason as the blankets and pj's that you mentioned.

[Anon]

I have heard the chemical-mattress idea as well....who knows, with so many chemicals everywhere these days.

If SIDS is more common with the firstborn, I would suspect the chemicals because often that is when everything is "brand new".

I don't know about vaccinations....I really do not know. Its one of those "I get my kids the main ones, pray hard, and will be glad when they are not babies anymore."

[Trish]

It is definitly some type of breathing problem, which is why the pertussus(whooping cough) vaccine can cause it. I always elevated their head slightly, this always helps me breathe easier and side slept them that way they couldn't spit up and drown in it. I also never kept them overly warm as this could make them sleep too deeply. The first time the baby would sleep through the night, I would always wake up in fright.

[Anon]

Three of mine had reflux anyway so we had to do side sleeping, elevation, and alot of sleeping with me propped on my arm in bed. My 14 mos old son's crib is still elevated, although he doesn't always stay with his head facing up. haha.