Recently, a little bit of good news finally surfaced in
the hunt for what causes sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS):
abnormal serotonin levels in the baby’s brain.
This mysterious condition
has long been a big black hole in scientific circles. Though rare, it’s one of
the most common causes of death in babies between 1 and 12 months of age. Now,
a group of Boston doctors has found a potential link between kids at risk for
SIDS and low levels of the
neurotransmitter serotonin, which controls breathing, heart rate, and blood
pressure during sleep. And too little serotonin could prevent a baby lying on
its stomach from waking up to turn its head and breathe fresh air.
So what can you do if you worry about SIDS?
There currently is no test
for newborns to determine if the risk for who may develop SIDS. It may take
years for medicine to establish newborn screenings that help determine whether
a baby’s serotonin levels are abnormal. But there’s plenty of evidence that a
few simple practices in the nursery can help in prevention:
- Make sure your
baby sleeps on a tight-fitting mattress.
Meaning there is no space between the mattress and the crib.
- Avoid
using crib bumpers.
- Place babies on their backs to sleep—not their
stomachs.
- Try using
a fan in the room to keep the room well-ventilated (babies who re-breathe
carbon dioxide, presumably from their own exhalations, are at a higher risk for
SIDS).
SIDS may not be cured
tomorrow, but let’s hope that good news on this research front keeps coming.
That will make all parents of newborns sleep better at night.
Sweet Dreams,
Michael J. Breus, PhD
The Sleep Doctor™
www.thesleepdoctor.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thesleepdoctor
Click here to order Dr. Breus's book, Beauty Sleep, on Amazon or Kindle, or here to buy it for the Barnes & Noble Nook.
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