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Facts on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS kills more children each year than cancer, AIDS, heart disease, and child abuse combined. And, the rest of the facts on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are less than comforting.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the name given to describe the death of a baby when all other factors have been ruled out. In other words, when nobody knows exactly why the baby died, the medical examiner will call it Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Approximately 7,000 babies a year die from SIDS and it strikes quickly and without warning.

The facts on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome suggest that it cannot be prevented. However, there are certain risk factors that have been identified and can be rectified. These risk factors include the baby's sleeping position, smoking around the baby, and the use of soft bedding.

While correcting these problem areas may help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, there is no known preventable action that will guarantee that your baby will not become its next victim. However, the facts on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome do suggest that some babies are at a higher risk than others.

For example, boys are at higher risk than girls, and babies of young mothers are also at a higher risk. In addition, SIDS occurs more frequently in really young infants between the ages of two to four months, with nearly 90% of all SIDS related deaths occurring in infants of less than six months of age.

Finally, suffocation, choking, or vomiting does not cause SIDS. It cannot be predicted or prevented, and it is not due to negligence on the part of the parents.

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