New and expecting parents, has your health provider talked to you about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome? Also known as SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is a leading cause of infant mortality. It’s defined as the sudden, unexpected death of an infant (between 1 month and 1 year of age) with no known cause, even after a full investigation into the infant’s death.
Researchers don’t actually know what causes SIDS. It is not caused by an infection that babies “catch,” like the flu. Models have been developed to explain the circumstances that come together to put babies at an increased risk for SIDS, but nothing is definite and there is no way to completely prevent SIDS.
What researchers are certain of is that African American babies continue to die from SIDS at higher rates than white, Hispanic and Asian babies even though the rate of SIDS deaths has declined over the past two decades.
Though the causes of SIDS are uncertain, there are actions that parents, grandparents, and caregivers can take to reduce their baby’s risk of SIDS.
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