Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is one of the leading causes of infant deaths in the United States. Infant sleep apnea can be one of the causes of SIDS.
A study has linked sleep apnea to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). For years, the causes of SIDS have remained a mystery. Researchers have tried their best to learn the causes behind this terrible phenomenon in infants and children but the specific causes of this problem still remain a big question. However, there has been some improvements in the results of the study and scientists have already pointed some probable factors that may have triggered the occurrence of SIDS. One of these factors is infant sleep apnea syndrome.
What is SIDS?
Short for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, SIDS is a phenomenon where babies die peacefully in their sleep. Also known as “crib death,” SIDS has been the center of studies of many scientists for years because of the mystery behind it and the fact that thousands of infants fall victim to this terrible occurrence every year. Most infants that die from SIDS have been found to have died without a struggle, which means they could not have died from choking or from other outside circumstances. Moreover, autopsies and other examinations made on children who died from SIDS do not show any evidence as to the causes of death.
Who is Prone to SIDS?
It has been found that even healthy children can succumb to SIDS. This may mean that this occurrence is not a result of any medical condition or illness. The usual victims of this terror are children who are at least two to four years of age. There is a theory that children who sleep in a prone position may be more susceptible to SIDS. This theory, though, is not yet certain due to lack of evidence although sleeping on their backs have greatly reduced the occurrence of SIDS in some babies. Also, not all babies who sleep on their stomach have fallen victim to SIDS, which means sleeping position may not necessarily have something to do with SIDS.
What is Infant Sleep Apnea and How Can It Be Related to SIDS?
Infant sleep apnea is a condition in babies where momentary pauses or cessation of breathing occurs. Pauses in breathing may be normal for most babies but when these occur in longer or prolonged periods, this can be a cause of worry. Longer periods of cessation in breathing may result in certain complications such as ALTE (life-threatening event) and SIDS. Both ALTE and SIDS can be frightening, although these conditions may have different characteristics. Babies suffering from ALTE often turn blue and limp. Resuscitation may be needed in this situation. If not helped, this can result to crib death or what is known as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
