The thought of a baby dying inexplicably is horrifying. The latest research on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) provides clues to what you can do to prevent it from happening.

By Vivienne Fouché

SIDS, also known as cot death, is the leading cause of death in the developed world for babies between 1 month and 1 year old. It’s the diagnosis that is given when a baby under 1 year dies suddenly and an exact cause of death can’t be found after a complete legal and medical investigation. It is devastating, not least because it generally happens without warning in a seemingly healthy infant. According to US statistics, SIDS most commonly affects babies between the ages of 2 to 4 months, with 90% of cases occurring in infants under 6 months. It occurs most frequently during cold weather months. These parameters are similar for countries around the developed world.

SIDS and science

Researchers have learned a great deal about SIDS in the past three decades but not enough to answer “What causes SIDS?” At this stage, there are guidelines for lowering an infant’s risk of developing SIDS – but there’s no guaranteed way to prevent a cot death....more>>